Windshield-mounted camera module

ABSTRACT

A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and configured to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes multiple lens units on which an optical image of the external environment is incident, individually, and an imaging system to generate an outside image of the external environment by imaging through each of the lens units, individually.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/842,163 filed on Dec. 14, 2017, which claimspriority to Japanese Patent Applications No. 2017-217470 filed on Nov.10, 2017, No. 2017-224945 filed on Nov. 22, 2017, and No. 2017-226024filed on Nov. 24, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated hereinby reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a camera module.

BACKGROUND

Conventionally, camera modules, which are installed on the inside of awindshield of a vehicle and are configured to image an externalenvironment of the vehicle, have been widely known. One of the foregoingcamera modules has been disclosed in Patent Literature 1.

Patent Literature 1

Publication of Japanese Patent No. 5316562

SUMMARY

The present disclosure produces a camera module with a newconfiguration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In thedrawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a vehicle to which a camera moduleis applied according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the camera module takenalong a line II-II in FIG. 5 according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a camera module according tothe first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic top view illustrating an imaging range ofrespective lens units according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating a placement relationship of therespective lens units according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6A is a front schematic view illustrating outside images generatedby imaging an external environment through a respective lens unitaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6B is another front schematic view illustrating outside imagesgenerated by imaging an external environment through a respective lensunit according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6C is yet another front schematic view illustrating outside imagesgenerated by imaging an external environment through a respective lensunit according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a camera modulecorresponding to FIG. 2 according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a camera module takenalong a line VIII-VIII of FIG. 10 according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the camera module takenalong a line IX-IX in FIG. 10 according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a front view illustrating a placement relationship of therespective lens units according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a schematic top view illustrating an imaging range ofrespective lens units according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a schematic top view illustrating an imaging range ofrespective lens units according to a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a camera module takenalong a line VIII-VIII of FIG. 18 according to a sixth embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a camera module takenalong a line XIV-XIV of FIG. 18 according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the camera module takenalong a line XV-XV of FIG. 18 according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view illustrating the camera module accordingto the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a top view illustrating a hood according to the sixthembodiment;

FIG. 18 is a front view illustrating a placement relationship of therespective lens units according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a camera modulecorresponding to FIG. 14 according to a seventh embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the camera modulecorresponding to FIG. 15 according to the seventh embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a top view illustrating a hood according to the seventhembodiment;

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a camera modulecorresponding to FIG. 14 according to an eighth embodiment;

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the camera modulecorresponding to FIG. 15 according to the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a top view illustrating a hood according to the eighthembodiment;

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a camera modulecorresponding to FIG. 13 according to a ninth embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view illustrating the camera module accordingto the ninth embodiment;

FIG. 27 is a top view illustrating a hood according to the ninthembodiment;

FIG. 28 is a front schematic view illustrating a control functionaccording to the ninth embodiment;

FIG. 29 is a schematic top view illustrating a vehicle control functionaccording to the ninth embodiment;

FIG. 30 is a schematic top view illustrating a structure of the hoodaccording to the ninth embodiment;

FIG. 31 is a schematic side view illustrating a vehicle control functionaccording to the ninth embodiment;

FIG. 32 is a schematic side view illustrating the structure of the hoodaccording to the ninth embodiment;

FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a camera modulecorresponding to FIG. 2 according to a tenth embodiment;

FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modification of FIG. 7;

FIG. 35 is a front view illustrating a modification of FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 36 is a front view illustrating a modification of FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 37 is a front view illustrating a modification of FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modification of FIG. 8;

FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modification of FIG. 9;

FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of FIG. 7 ;

FIG. 41 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modification of FIG. 27;

FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modification of FIG. 27;

FIG. 43 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modification of FIG. 8;

FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modification of FIG. 9;

FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modification of FIG. 34;

FIG. 46 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modification of FIG. 7;

FIG. 47 is a top view illustrating one modification of FIG. 17 ;

FIG. 48 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modification of FIG. 2;

FIG. 49 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modification of FIG. 2;

FIG. 50A is a front schematic view showing outside images illustratingan issue; and

FIG. 50B is another front schematic view showing outside imagesillustrating an issue.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, an outline of the present disclosure will be described.

One type of camera modules of the present disclosure is disclosed inJapanese Patent Literature 1, in which a light from an externalenvironment enters a vehicle camera through a lens thereby to image theexternal environment.

In recent years, camera modules have been required to image a wide rangeof an external environment to recognize images for advanced drivingsupport or self-driving of a vehicle. To meet the above requirement, itis conceivable to employ a technique to image the external environmentthrough a lens unit having a wide angle of view around an optical axis.However, in the lens unit having the wide angle of view, a depth offield approaches closer when viewed from an occupant of the vehicle.Therefore, a concern arises that a pixel resolution is degraded in arange on the deeper side when viewed from the occupant of the externalenvironment. Therefore, it is conceivable to employ a technique forimaging the external environment by using both a lens unit having a wideangle of view and a lens unit having a narrow angle of view.

In the technique using the lenses in combination, in order to enableimaging the external environment in a wide range, each of the lens unitsis required to be in a placement in which angle of views of therespective lens units overlap with each other. However, depending on theplacement relationship of the respective lens units, the optical axes ofthe lens units are separated from each other in the lateral direction ofthe vehicle. In this case, as shown in (a) and (b) in FIG. 50 , theoutside images, which are generated by imaging the external environmentindividually through the respective lens units, are likely to be greatlyshifted in the lateral direction in position coordinates (hereinafterreferred to merely as “position coordinates”) relative to the opticalaxes Aw and An of the pixels reflecting the same places Pw and Pn. Thecamera module for an advanced driving support or a self-driving requiresa high image position accuracy in the lateral direction and raises anissue of blind spots of the vehicle in the lateral direction rather thanthat in the vertical direction. For that reason, in a case where theshift in the positional coordinates between the outside images, whichare generated through the respective lens units, increases in thelateral direction, a concern arises that image position accuracy in thelateral direction may decrease.

In addition, as described above, a technique, which uses the lenses incombination and overlaps the angles of view of the respective lens unitswith each other, enables imaging of the external environment in the widerange. Further, the technique, which uses the lenses in combination,overlaps the depths of field of the respective lens units with eachother, thereby to enable to continuously imaging an object movingrelatively in an overlapping region of the external environment.However, in a case where image recognition hardly discriminates therelatively moving object in an outside image, which is generated byimaging the external environment individually through the respectivelens units, a concern arises that the object is lost in a region wherethe depths of field overlap with each other.

Incidentally, as an angle of view of the lens unit is wider, excesslight incident on each of the lens units further increases. For thatreason, it is conceivable to employ a hood. However, the camera moduleincluding the hood increases in size depending on a placementrelationship of the respective lens units to result in a concern thatthe large-sized camera module interferes with a field of view of theexternal environment for a vehicle occupant inside the windshield.

In the technology using the lenses in combination, the axial positionsof the respective lens units are different in each vehicle. In such astructure in which the axial positions of the respective lens units areindividually determined, the positional relationship of those unitslikely varies increasingly in the axial direction of the vehicle. In acase where the axial positions of the respective lens units areindividually adjusted to reduce the variation at the time ofmanufacturing the camera module, productivity may be reduced.

As described above, one object of the present disclosure is to provide acamera module having a novel structure capable of imaging the externalenvironment in an image recognizable manner.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a camera moduleto image an external environment through multiple lens units with highimage position accuracy in a lateral direction of a vehicle.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a camera moduleto restrict an object from being lost in an outside image that isproduced by imaging the external environment through the multiple lensunits.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a compact cameramodule having a hood together with multiple lens units.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a camera moduleenabling to secure a positioning precision of multiple lens units in avehicle. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a cameramodule including multiple lens units with a high productivity.

Hereinafter, a technical solution of the present disclosure will bedescribed. It should be noted that reference numerals in parenthesesdescribed in this column indicate correspondence with specific meansdescribed in embodiments to be described in detail later and do notlimit the technical scope of the present disclosure.

According to a first aspect, a camera module (1) is configured to bemounted on an inside of a windshield (3) of a vehicle (2) and to imagean external environment (5) of the vehicle. The camera module comprisesa plurality of lens units (30, 2030, 3030) having optical axes (Aw, An,At), respectively. The optical axes are shifted from each other. Anoptical image of the external environment individually enters withinangles of view (θw, θn, θt), which are around the optical axes,respectively. The angles of view (θw, θn, θt) are different from eachother. The camera module further comprises an imaging system (50) toperform imaging individually through the lens units and to generate anoutside image of the external environment. Under a definition that anoted set is a set of the lens units in which angles of view (θw, θn,θt) overlap with each other, the lens units, which belong to the notedset, overlap with each other when viewed in a vertical direction of thevehicle.

According to the first aspect, the lens units of the noted set areconfigured so that the optical axes are shifted from each other, theangles of view around the optical axes are different from each other,and the angles of view overlap with each other. In the noted setsdescribed above, the optical axes are close to each other in the lateraldirection of the vehicle in the placement structure in which the lensunits, which belong to the noted set, overlap with each other whenviewed in the vertical direction of the vehicle. According to theconfiguration, large lateral shift unlikely arises in the positionalcoordinates relative to the optical axes of the pixels, which reflectthe same portion, in the generated outside images individually throughthe respective lens units, which belong to the noted set. Therefore, theconfiguration enables to enhance image position accuracy in the lateraldirection by imaging the external environment through the respectivelens units belonging to the noted set.

According to a second aspect, the lens units (30, 2030, 3030), whichbelong to the noted set, include a wide angle unit (30 w, 2030 w, 3030w) having an angle of view (θw) defined with the wide angle lens (34 w).The lens units (30, 2030, 3030) further include a narrow angle unit (30n, 2030 n, 3030 n) having an angle of view (θn, θt) narrower than thatof the wide angle unit. A far point (Dwf), which defines a depth ofrecognition field (Dw) of the wide angle unit, is on a deeper sidebeyond a near point (Dnc), which defines a depth of recognition field(Dn) of the narrow angle unit.

According to the second aspect, the optical axes are close to each otherin the lateral direction of the vehicle in the placement structure inwhich the wide angle unit with the wide angle of view and the narrowangle unit with the narrow angle of view, which are the lens units ofthe noted set, overlap with each other when viewed in the verticaldirection of the vehicle. According to the configuration, large lateralshift unlikely arises in the positional coordinates of the pixels, whichreflect the same portion, in the generated outside images individuallythrough the wide angle unit and the narrow angle unit. The outside imagepasses through the narrow angle unit and the wide angle unit. The wideangle unit has the depth of recognition field, in which the far point isset on the deeper side beyond the near point of the depth of recognitionfield of the narrow angle unit, to focus the image in a wide rangeincluding the overlapping region in those depths of recognition field.In this way, the configuration enables to enhance the image positionalaccuracy in the lateral direction in imaging of the externalenvironment.

According to a third aspect, the lens units (30, 2030), which belong tothe noted set, further include a telescopic unit (30 t, 2030 t) havingan angle of view (θt) narrower than that of the narrow angle unit (30 n,2030 n). A far point (Dnf), which defines a depth of recognition field(Dn) of the narrow angle unit, is on a deeper side beyond a near point(Dtc), which defines a depth of recognition field (Dt) of the telescopicunit.

According to the third aspect, the wide angle unit, the narrow angleunit, and the telescopic unit are the lens units belonging to the notedset. The telescopic unit is narrower in the angle of view than the wideangle unit and the narrow angle unit. The optical axes are close to eachother in the lateral direction of the vehicle in the placement structurein which the wide angle unit, the narrow angle unit, and the telescopicunit overlap with each other when viewed in the vertical direction ofthe vehicle. According to the configuration, large lateral shiftunlikely arises in the positional coordinates of the pixels, whichreflect the same portion, in the generated outside images individuallythrough the wide angle unit, the narrow angle unit, and the telescopicunit. The narrow angle unit has the depth of recognition field in whichthe far point is set on the deeper side beyond the near point of thedepth of recognition field of the telescopic unit. The wide angle unithas the depth of recognition field as described above. The outside imagepasses through the telescopic unit, the narrow angle unit, and the wideangle unit to focus the image in a wide range including the overlappingregion of the respective two depths of recognition field. In this way,the configuration enables to enhance the image positional accuracy inthe lateral direction in imaging of the external environment.

According to a fourth aspect, a camera module (1) is configured to bemounted on an inside of a windshield (3) of a vehicle (2) and to imagean external environment (5) of the vehicle. The camera module comprisesa plurality of lens units (6030) having optical axes (Aw, An, At),respectively. The optical axes are shifted from each other. An opticalimage of the external environment individually enters within angles ofview (θw, θn, θt), which are around the optical axes, respectively. Theangles of view (θw, θn, θt) are different from each other. The cameramodule further comprises an imaging system (50) to perform imagingindividually through the lens units and to generate an outside image ofthe external environment. The camera module further comprises a hood(6040, 9040) defining an imaging space (410), which is to guide theoptical image of the external environment within an imaging target rangeof the imaging system to the lens units, and to restrict incidence oflight on the lens units from an outside of the imaging target range. Oneof the lens units is a wide angle unit (6030 w) having an angle of view(θw) defined with the wide angle lens (34 w). An other of the lens unitsis a narrow angle unit (6030 n, 6030 t, 7030 n, 7030 t, 8030 n, 8030 t)having an angle of view (θn, θt) narrower than that of the wide angleunit. The hood includes: a base wall portion (41, 9041) to be located toface the windshield via the imaging space; and a side wall portion(6043, 9043) raised from the base wall portion at a lateral side of theimaging space and inclined laterally outward correspondingly to an angleof view (θw) of the wide angle unit from a periphery of the wide angleunit toward an external environment side. A narrow angle exposure window(6431 n, 6431 t) opens in the side wall portion on the externalenvironment side of the wide angle unit and exposes the narrow angleunit to the imaging space.

According to the hood of the fourth aspect, the side wall portions areinclined from the periphery of the wide angle unit toward the externalenvironment side. The side wall portions are inclined according to theangle of view of the wide angle unit on the lateral sides of the imagingspace. The imaging space guides the optical image inside the imagingtarget range to the wide angle unit and the narrow angle unit among thelens units. In this example, the narrow angle exposure window opens inany of the side wall portions on the external environment side of thewide angle unit to expose the narrow angle unit toward the imagingspace. According to the configuration, the angle of view of the narrowangle unit falls within the inside of the angle of view of the wideangle unit, which regulates the inclination of the side wall portions,to share the imaging space between both of those units. Therefore, theconfiguration enables to form the side wall portions, in which thenarrow angle exposure window opens, to be inclined within a necessaryrange for the wide angle unit. In this way, the configuration enables toreduce the size of the camera module including the hood.

According to a fifth aspect, the lens units further include a telescopicunit (6030 t, 7030 t, 8030 t) having an angle of view (θt) narrower thanthat of the narrow angle unit (6030 n, 7030 n, 8030 n). A telescopicexposure window (6431 t) opens in the side wall portion on the externalenvironment side beyond the wide angle unit and exposes the telescopicunit to the imaging space.

According to the hood of the fifth aspect, the side wall portions areinclined from the periphery of the wide angle unit toward the externalenvironment side. The side wall portions are inclined according to theangle of view of the wide angle unit on the lateral sides of the imagingspace. The imaging space guides the optical image inside the imagingtarget range to the wide angle unit and the telescopic unit among thelens units. In this example, the telescopic exposure window opens in anyof the side wall portions on the external environment side of the wideangle unit to expose the telescopic unit toward the imaging space.According to the configuration, the angle of view of the telescopic unitfalls within the inside of the angle of view of the wide angle unit toshare the imaging space between both of those units. The wide angle unitregulates the inclination of the side wall portions. Therefore, theconfiguration enables to confine the side wall portions, in which thetelescopic exposure window opens and which are inclined, within anecessary range for the wide angle unit. In this way, the configurationenables to reduce the size of the camera module including the hood.

According to a sixth aspect, a camera module (1) is configured to bemounted on an inside of a windshield (3) of a vehicle (2) and to imagean external environment (5) of the vehicle. The camera module comprisesa plurality of lens units (30, 2030, 3030) having optical axes (Aw, An,At), respectively. The optical axes are shifted from each other. Anoptical image of the external environment individually enters withinangles of view (θw, θn, θt), which are around the optical axes,respectively. The angles of view (θw, θn, θt) are different from eachother. The camera module further comprises an imaging system (50) toperform imaging individually through the lens units and to generate anoutside image of the external environment. Under a definition that anoted set is a set of the lens units, in which angles of view (θw, θn,θt) overlap with each other, depths of recognition field (Dw, Dn, Dt) ofthe lens units, which belong to the noted set, overlap with each other,in which a far point (Dwf, Dnf) of an other of the noted set is betweena near point (Dnc, Dtc) and a far point (Dnf, Dtf) of one of the notedset in the external environment, and each of the far point of the oneand the far point of the other defines a limit position of imagerecognition which is implemented by imaging through the correspondingone of the lens units.

According to the sixth aspect, the lens units of the noted set areconfigured so that the optical axes are shifted from each other, theangles of view around the optical axes are different from each other,and the angles of view overlap with each other. In the externalenvironment, the far point of the depth of recognition field of theother of the lens units of the noted set is set between the near pointand the far point of the depth of recognition field of one of the notedset. The configuration forms the region in which those depths ofrecognition field overlap with each other. The far point of the one ofthe noted set and the far point of the other of the noted set definelimit positions of the image recognition which is implemented by imagingthe external environment individually through the respective lens units.The configuration enables to discriminate in image recognition anobject, which moves relatively in the overlapping region, in any of theoutside images generated through the respective lens units of the notedset, in which the depths of recognition field overlap with each other.Therefore, the configuration enables to restrict an object, which is inthe region where the respective depths of recognition field overlap witheach other, from being lost in the outside image which is a result ofimaging the external environment through the respective lens units ofthe noted set.

According to a seventh aspect, a camera module (1) is configured to bemounted on an inside of a windshield (3) of a vehicle (2) and to imagean external environment (5) of the vehicle. The camera module comprisesa plurality of lens units (30, 2030, 3030, 6030, 10030) having opticalaxes (Aw, An, At), respectively. The optical axes are shifted from eachother. An optical image of the external environment individually enterswithin angles of view (θw, θn, θt), which are around the optical axes,respectively. The angles of view (θw, θn, θt) are different from eachother. The camera module further comprises an imaging system (50) toperform imaging individually through the lens units and to generate anoutside image of the external environment. The camera module furthercomprises a camera casing (20) attachable to the windshield andaccommodates each of the lens units. The camera module further comprisesa common positioning member (10060) commonly provided for the lens unitsand positioning each of the lens units relative to the camera casing inan axial direction.

According to the seventh aspect, in the vehicle, the respective lensunits are accommodated in the camera casing attached to the windshield.The respective lens units are positioned in the axial direction by usingthe common positioning member common to those units. In this way, thecommon positioning member enables to reduce variation in the mutualaxial positional relationship of the respective lens units in thevehicle. That is, the configuration enables to secure positioningaccuracy of the respective lens units in the vehicle. Further, the axialpositions of the respective lens units can be adjusted collectively byusing the common positioning member. Therefore, productivity can beenhanced.

According to an eighth aspect, the common positioning member includes areference surface portion (10601) abutting against each of the lensunits in the axial direction to position each of the lens units on thesame plane.

According to the common positioning member of the eighth aspect, in thevehicle, the reference surface portion abuts against the respective lensunits in the axial direction such that all of the units are positionedon the same plane. According to the configuration, in the vehicle, therespective lens units can be precisely positioned on the same plane.Therefore, variation per se in the mutual axial positional relationshiphardly arises in the respective lens units. In other words, therespective lens units in the vehicle can be positioned with highaccuracy. In addition, the lens units can be easily and collectivelypositioned in the axial direction by abutting against the referencesurface portion on the same plane. Therefore, the configuration enablesto promote high productivity.

Hereinafter, multiple embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed with reference to the drawings. The same reference numeralsare assigned to the corresponding elements in the embodiments, andredundant descriptions thereof may be omitted. When only a portion of aconfiguration in each embodiment is described, configurations of otherembodiments described in advance can be applied to other portions. Inaddition to the combinations of configurations clearly depicted in theexplanation of the embodiments, as long as issues do not particularlyarise in a combination, the configurations of multiple embodiments maybe partially combined with each other, even when not clearly described.

First Embodiment

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a camera module 1 according to a firstembodiment is mounted on a vehicle 2 and is configured to image anexternal environment 5. In the following description, a verticaldirection of the vehicle 2 on a horizontal plane is set to a verticaldirection, a vehicle width direction of the vehicle 2 in a horizontaldirection of the vehicle 2 on the horizontal plane is set to a lateraldirection, and a vehicle longitudinal direction of the vehicle 2 in thehorizontal direction is set to a longitudinal direction.

The camera module 1 is mounted on the inside of a front windshield 3 inthe vehicle 2. The front windshield 3 is located in front of a driver'sseat in the vehicle 2. The front windshield 3 partitions a vehiclecompartment 4, which is the inside of the front windshield 3, from theexternal environment 5. The further the front windshield 3 approachesthe lower side, the further the front windshield 3 is inclined towardthe front side on the deeper side (that is, toward the externalenvironment 5 side) when viewed from the occupant of the vehicle 2. Thefront windshield 3 is made of a light transmissive material such asglass to transmit an optical image incident from scenery of the externalenvironment 5 into the vehicle compartment 4.

An installation position of the camera module 1 to the front windshield3 is set at a position that does not substantially interfere with afield of view of an occupant who is seated on the driver's seat in thevehicle compartment 4. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1 , avertical installation position is set in the vertical direction within arange Xv, which is, for example, about 20% from an upper edge of anopening window 6 a of a pillar 6. Inside the vehicle 2, the pillar 6 isin a frame shape and holds an outer peripheral edge portion of the frontwindshield 3. A lateral installation position is set in the lateraldirection within a range Xh, which is, for example, about 15 cm from acenter of the opening window 6 a to each of both sides. With thosesettings, the installation position is located within a wiping range Xrof a windshield wiper that wipes the front windshield 3. In addition,the installation position is located at a portion, at which the frontwindshield 3 is inclined, for example, by about 22 to 90° with respectto the front and back direction.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the camera module 1 includes a bracketassembly 10, a camera casing 20, multiple lens units 30, a hood 40, andan imaging system 50. In FIG. 3 , the components are partially omittedfrom illustration.

The bracket assembly 10 includes a bracket main body 11 and mountingpads 12 in combination. The bracket main body 11 is made of a relativelyeasily moldable rigid material such as a resin and is shaped in asubstantially plate-like shape as a whole. The bracket main body 11 isplaced along an inner surface 3 a of the front windshield 3. As shown inFIG. 2 , the mounting pads 12 are fitted and fixed to the bracket mainbody 11. Each of the mounting pads 12 is fixed to the inner surface 3 aof the front windshield 3 by adhesion. In this way, the camera module 1including the bracket assembly 10 is mounted inside the front windshield3 in a state where being positioned relative to the vehicle 2.

The camera casing 20 includes a pair of casing members 21 and 22. Eachof the casing members 21 and 22 is made of a rigid material having acomparatively high heat radiation property such as aluminum and isformed in a hollow shape as a whole.

The reverse cup-shaped upper casing member 21 is located on a lower sideof the bracket assembly 10 to direct its opening portion to the lowerside opposite to the assembly 10. The upper casing member 21 is fixedlyfitted to the bracket main body 11. In this way, the camera casing 20 ispositioned inside the front windshield 3 through the bracket assembly10. The upper casing member 21 and the front windshield 3 in the abovepositioning posture define an accommodation recess 212 therebetween foraccommodating the hood 40.

The dish-shaped lower casing member 22 is located on the lower side ofthe upper casing member 21 to direct its opening portion toward theupper side which is on the upper casing member 21 side. The lower casingmember 22 is fastened to the upper casing member 21 with a screw. Inthis way, the casing members 21 and 22 define an accommodation space 25for accommodating the lens units 30 and the imaging system 50 incooperation with each other.

The multiple (in the present embodiment, three) lens units 30 arelocated in the accommodation space 25 of the camera casing 20. As shownin FIGS. 2 and 3 , front ends of the respective lens units 30 areexposed to the outside of the camera casing 20 through a common lenswindow 211. The common lens window 211 penetrates through a verticalwall portion 210 of the upper casing member 21. In this way, angles ofview θw, θn, and θt different in size from each other as shown in FIG. 4are set around the respective optical axes Aw, An, and At which areshifted from each other in the respective lens units 30. An opticalimage of the external environment 5 can be incident on the respectivelens units 30, individually, into the respective angles of view θw, θn,and θt.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the hood 40 is formed integrally with thebracket main body 11, for example, by resin molding or the like, therebyforming a part of the bracket assembly 10. The outline of the hood 40when viewed from the upper side is in a dish shape that is symmetricalin the lateral direction with respect to the optical axes Aw, An, and Atof the respective lens units 30. The hood 40 has a base wall portion 41and side wall portions 43.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the base wall portion 41 is accommodated in theaccommodation recess 212 between the upper casing member 21 and thefront windshield 3. The base wall portion 41 is located in a posture inwhich the further the base wall portion 41 approaches the front side,the further the base wall portion 41 is closer to the front windshield 3on the upper side. A bottom wall surface 41 a of the base wall portion41 spreads in a substantially planar shape facing the inner surface 3 aof the front windshield 3 via the imaging space 410 on the optical axesAw, An, and At shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 . Under that condition, theoptical image of the external environment 5 within the imaging targetrange of the imaging system 50 is guided from the imaging space 410 tothe respective lens units 30 after having passed through the frontwindshield 3.

The side wall portions 43 are located at bilaterally symmetricalpositions with respect to the optical axes Aw, An, and At in the lateraldirection to interpose the imaging space 410 therebetween from bothlateral sides of the imaging space 410. The respective side wallportions 43 are raised upward from lateral side edges of the base wallportion 41 and are each shaped in a straight plate-like shape. A mutualdistance between the respective side wall portions 43 in the lateraldirection gradually widens toward the front side. With theconfiguration, the front ends of the respective lens units 30 areexposed to the imaging space 410 through a portion between rear ends ofthe respective side wall portions 43. The height of the respective sidewall portions 43 from the base wall portion 41 gradually decreasestoward the front side. In this way, as shown in FIG. 2 , the respectiveside wall portions 43 are located in a posture to be spaced from theinner surface 3 a of the front windshield 3 with a gap 430 in its entirelongitudinal region.

With the configuration, the hood 40 defines the imaging space 410according to the angles of view θw, θn, and θt of the respective lensunits 30 to permit incidence of the optical image of the externalenvironment 5, which is inside of the imaging target range, on therespective lens units 30. In addition, the hood 40 defines the imagingspace 410 to restrict incidence of excess light on the respective lensunits 30 from the external environment 5 outside the imaging targetrange, for example, incidence of reflected light reflected by the innersurface 3 a of the front windshield 3.

The imaging system 50 includes multiple imager units 51 combined with acontrol board 54 and a control circuit 55. The components 51, 54, and 55of the imaging system 50 are located in the accommodation space 25 ofthe camera casing 20.

The (in the present embodiment, three) imager units 51 are positioned onthe rear sides of the respective lens units 30 different from eachother, individually. In this example, the positions of the respectiveimager units 51 are shifted from each other in the longitudinaldirection according to focal lengths of the respective lens units 30corresponding to the angles of view θw, θn, and θt which are differentfrom each other. Each of the imager units 51 includes an imaging board510, an image pickup device 511, and an imaging circuit 512. The imagingboard 510 is formed of a rigid circuit board such as a glass epoxy boardand is formed in a substantially rectangular plate-like shape. The imagepickup device 511 is configured with a color type or monochrome typeimager such as a CCD or a CMOS and is mounted on the imaging board 510.The image pickup device 511 has multiple pixels that are arranged in amatrix form along the vertical direction and the lateral directioncorresponding to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction ofthe vehicle 2, which is on the horizontal plane, respectively. Theimaging circuit 512 includes multiple circuit elements capable ofprocessing an output of the image pickup device 511 and is mounted onthe imaging board 510.

In each of the imager units 51, an optical image transmitted from theexternal environment 5 through the front windshield 3 is formed on theimage pickup device 511 through the corresponding lens unit 30. In eachof the imager units 51, the image pickup device 511 captures the opticalimage formed thereon, and the imaging circuit 512 processes a signal ordata output from the image pickup device 511.

The control board 54 is formed of a rigid circuit board such as a glassepoxy board and is formed in a substantially rectangular plate-likeshape. The control board 54 is positioned between both the casingmembers 21 and 22. An external connector 542 is mounted on the controlboard 54 to be exposed outside the camera casing 20. The externalconnector 542 is connected to an external circuit such as an ECU outsidethe camera casing 20. In this example, the external connector 542 ismounted on a protruded substrate portion 543. The protruded substrateportion 543 further protrudes rearward from a rear side edge 544 of thecontrol board 54. Incidentally, although not shown, the protrudedsubstrate portion 543 and the camera casing 20 are located to circumventa base portion of an inner rearview mirror (including an electronicmirror in this case) in the vehicle compartment 4 according to aninstallation position of the camera module 1 in the front windshield 3.

The control circuit 55 includes multiple circuit elements including amicrocomputer 550 and is mounted on the control board 54. The controlcircuit 55 is connected to the imaging circuits 512 of the respectiveimager units 51 via respective individual flexible boards (FPC) 540. Inthis example, multiple through windows 541 are formed in the controlboard 54 so that the FPCs 540 are individually inserted through thethrough windows 541, respectively. In this way, the respective FPCs 540are connected to the imaging circuits 512 of the respective imager units51 located on the upper side of the control board 54, and the respectiveFPCs 540 penetrate through the through window 541 in the verticaldirection to be connected to the control circuit 55 on the lower side ofthe control board 54.

The control circuit 55 controls the imaging operation of the imagepickup device 511 in each of the imager units 51 in cooperation with theimaging circuit 512 of the imager unit 51. The imaging operationincludes an exposure state during imaging. Further, the control circuit55 performs image processing on the signal or data output from the imagepickup device 511 of each imager unit 51 in cooperation with the imagingcircuit 512 of the imager unit 51. The imaging control function and theimage processing function enable to generate, as the imaging resultthrough each lens unit 30, the outside image to reflect the externalenvironment 5 in a range of corresponding one of the angles of view θw,θn, and θt of the lens unit 30. At this time, the outside image isgenerated to recognize an object such as an obstacle or a structure inthe angles of view θw, θn, or θt reflected in the outside image. Withthe configuration, the outside image through each lens unit 30 isproduced with the corresponding imager unit 51. Incidentally, at leastone of the imaging control function and the image processing functionmay be provided with only the control circuit 55 or with only theimaging circuit 512 of each imager unit 51.

The control circuit 55 also includes an image recognition function forrecognizing an object reflected in the outside image. In the imagerecognition function, the control circuit 55 discriminates the type ofthe object, for example, whether the obstacle is a pedestrian, abicycle, another vehicle, or the like or whether the structure is atraffic signal, a traffic sign, a building, or the like. As shown in (a)to (c) in FIG. 6 , shifts arise in the positional coordinates of pixels,which reflect the same positions Pw, Pn, and Pt in the outside imagesgenerated with the respective lens units 30, with respect to the opticalaxes Aw, An, and At, respectively. Through the image recognitionfunction, the control circuit 55 corrects the shifts by executing, forexample, alignment processing. At this time, specifically, the controlcircuit 55 corrects the shifts in a case where recognizing the shifts inthe positional coordinates at, for example, vanishing points, or thelike with respect to the respective optical axes Aw, An, and At in atleast one of the vertical direction or the lateral direction. Thevanishing points are the same positions Pw, Pn, and Pt

(Detailed Structure of Lens Unit)

Next, a detailed structure of the respective lens units 30 will bedescribed.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 , the wide angle unit 30 w, which is oneof the lens units 30, includes a wide angle lens barrel 32 w and a wideangle lens 34 w. The wide angle lens barrel 32 w is formed in a hollowshape and is made of a relatively moldable rigid material such as aresin. The wide angle lens barrel 32 w is fixed to the upper casingmember 21 with a screw or adhesive. The wide angle lens 34 w is formedin a concave meniscus lens shape and is made of a light transmissivematerial such as glass. The wide angle lens 34 w is accommodated in thewide angle lens barrel 32 w together with a rear lens set (not shown)for correcting an optical aberration such as a chromatic aberration.Therefore, the wide angle lens barrel 32 w is positioned so that theinner surface 3 a of the front windshield 3 is spaced apart from thewide angle lens 34 w. The wide angle lens 34 w forms the front end ofthe wide angle unit 30 w and is located on the front side of the rearlens set with a specified interval.

The optical axis Aw of the wide angle unit 30 w shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and5 is set to extend obliquely downward or upward with respect to thelongitudinal direction or to extend along the longitudinal direction. Asshown in FIG. 4 , the angle of view θw of the wide angle unit 30 w isset to a relatively large angle of, for example, about 120° by using thewide angle lens 34 w. However, the angle of view θw may be set to anangle wider than 120°. By using the wide angle lens 34 w, the depth ofrecognition field Dw within the angle of view θw of the wide angle unit30 w is defined by a predetermined range in the external environment 5.This predetermined range is between a near point Dwc, which is on acloser side (hereinafter simply referred to as the closer side) viewedfrom the occupant of the vehicle 2, and a far point Dwf on a deeper side(hereinafter simply referred to as the deeper side) viewed from theoccupant.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 , the narrow angle unit 30 n, which isanother of the lens units 30, includes a narrow angle lens barrel 32 nand a narrow angle lens 34 n. The narrow angle lens barrel 32 n isformed in a hollow shape and is made of a relatively moldable rigidmaterial such as a resin. The narrow angle lens barrel 32 n is fixed tothe upper casing member 21 with a screw or adhesive. The narrow anglelens 34 n is formed in a concave meniscus lens shape and is made of alight transmissive material such as glass. The narrow angle lens 34 n isaccommodated in the narrow angle lens barrel 32 n together with a rearlens set (not shown) for correcting an optical aberration such as achromatic aberration. Therefore, the narrow angle lens barrel 32 n ispositioned so that the narrow angle lens 34 n is located directly abovethe wide angle lens 34 w substantially without longitudinal shift andlateral shift. The narrow angle lens 34 n forms the front end of thenarrow angle unit 30 n on the front side of the rear lens set. In theconfiguration, the further the front windshield 3 approaches the frontside on the deeper side, the further the front windshield 3 is inclinedtoward the lower side. The wide angle unit 30 w does not substantiallyprotrude from the upper narrow angle unit 30 n toward the deeper side.

The optical axis An of the narrow angle unit 30 n shown in FIGS. 2, 4 ,and 5 is set to extend obliquely downward or upward with respect to thelongitudinal direction or to extend along the longitudinal direction. Inaddition, the optical axis An of the narrow angle unit 30 n isdecentered from the optical axis Aw of the wide angle unit 30 wparticularly in the substantially vertical direction. In this way, theoptical axis An is aligned with the optical axis Aw in the lateralposition of the vehicle 2. As shown in FIG. 4 , by using the narrowangle lens 34 n, the angle of view θn of the narrow angle unit 30 n isset to a medium angle which is narrower than the angle of view θw of thewide angle unit 30 w. The medium angle is, for example, about 60°. Withthose settings, the respective angles of view θn and θw of the narrowangle unit 30 n and the wide angle unit 30 w overlap with each other. Byusing the narrow angle lens 34 n, the depth of recognition field Dnwithin the angle of view θn of the narrow angle unit 30 n is defined bya predetermined range in the external environment 5. This predeterminedrange is between a near point Dnc on the closer side and a far point Dnfon the deeper side.

More particularly, in the present embodiment, the far point Dwf of thewide angle unit 30 w is set on the deeper side beyond the near point Dncof the narrow angle unit 30 n. In addition, in the present embodiment,the near point Dnc of the narrow angle unit 30 n is set on the deeperside beyond the near point Dwc of the wide angle unit 30 w. Further, inthe present embodiment, the far point Dnf of the narrow angle unit 30 nis set on the deeper side beyond the far point Dwf of the wide angleunit 30 w. With those settings, the far point Dwf of the wide angle unit30 w is positioned between the near point Dnc and the far point Dnf ofthe narrow angle unit 30 n so that the units 30 n and 30 w form a regionRnw in which the depths of recognition field Dn and Dw overlap with eachother.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 , a telescopic unit 30 t, which is stillanother of the lens units 30, includes a telescopic lens barrel 32 t anda telescopic lens 34 t. The telescopic lens barrel 32 t is formed in ahollow shape and is made of a relatively moldable rigid material such asa resin. The telescopic lens barrel 32 t is fixed to the upper casingmember 21 with a screw or adhesive. The telescopic lens 34 t is formedin a concave lens shape and is made of a light transmissive materialsuch as glass. The telescopic lens 34 t is accommodated in thetelescopic lens barrel 32 t together with a rear lens set (not shown)for correcting an optical aberration such as a chromatic aberration.Therefore, the telescopic lens barrel 32 t is positioned so that thetelescopic lens 34 t is located directly above the narrow angle lens 34n substantially without longitudinal shift and lateral shift. Thetelescopic lens 34 t forms the front end of the telescopic unit 30 t onthe front side of the rear lens set. With the configuration, the narrowangle unit 30 n does not substantially protrude from the uppertelescopic unit 30 t toward the deeper side. In addition, the wide angleunit 30 w does not substantially protrude from the upper telescopic unit30 t toward the deeper side.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5 , the optical axis At of the telescopicunit 30 t is set to extend obliquely downward or upward with respect tothe longitudinal direction or to extend along the longitudinaldirection. In addition, the optical axis At of the telescopic unit 30 tis decentered from both of the respective optical axes Aw and An of thewide angle unit 30 w and the narrow angle unit 30 n in the substantiallyvertical direction. In this way, the optical axis At is aligned withboth of the optical axes Aw and An in the lateral position of thevehicle 2. As shown in FIG. 4 , by using the telescopic lens 34 t, theangle of view θt of the telescopic unit 30 t is set to a small anglewhich is narrower than both of the respective angles of view θw and θnof the wide angle unit 30 w and the narrow angle unit 30 n. The angle ofview θt is, for example, about 35°. With those settings, the respectiveangles of view θt and θn of the telescopic units 30 t and the narrowangle unit 30 n overlap with each other. In addition, the respectiveangles of view θt and θw of the telescopic unit 30 t and the wide angleunit 30 w also overlap with each other. By using the telescopic lens 34t, the depth of recognition field Dt within the angle of view θt of thetelescopic unit 30 t is defined by a predetermined range in the externalenvironment 5. This predetermined range is between a near point Dtc onthe closer side and a far point Dtf on the deeper side.

More particularly, in the present embodiment, the far point Dnf of thenarrow angle unit 30 n is set on the deeper side beyond the near pointDtc of the telescopic unit 30 t. In addition, in the present embodiment,the near point Dtc of the telescopic unit 30 t is set on the deeper sidebeyond the near point Dnc of the narrow angle unit 30 n and the nearpoint Dwc and the far point Dwf of the wide angle unit 30 w. Further, inthe present embodiment, the far point Dtf of the telescopic unit 30 t isset on the deeper side beyond the far point Dnf of the narrow angle unit30 n and the far point Dwf of the wide angle unit 30 w. With thosesettings, the far point Dnf of the narrow angle unit 30 n is positionedbetween the near point Dtc and the far point Dtf of the telescopic unit30 t so that the units 30 t and 30 n form the region Rtn in which thedepths of recognition field Dt and Dn overlap with each other. However,in the present embodiment, the far point Dwf of the wide angle unit 30 wis shifted from the near point Dtc and the far point Dtf of thetelescopic unit 30 t so that the depths of recognition field Dt and Dwof those units 30 t and 30 w are shifted from each other so as not tooverlap with each other.

In the first embodiment described above, the first to fourth noted setsare supposed as the noted sets in which the respective lens units 30 atleast partially overlap with each other when viewed in the verticaldirection. More specifically, the first noted set includes the wideangle unit 30 w and the narrow angle unit 30 n which overlap with eachother when viewed in the vertical direction. The second noted setincludes the wide angle unit 30 w and the telescopic unit 30 t whichoverlap with each other when viewed in the vertical direction. The thirdnoted set includes the narrow angle unit 30 n and the telescopic unit 30t which overlap with each other when viewed in the vertical direction.The fourth noted set includes the wide angle unit 30 w, the narrow angleunit 30 n, and the telescopic unit 30 t which overlap with each otherwhen viewed in the vertical direction.

The respective units 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t as the lens units 30, whichbelong to the first to fourth noted sets, satisfy the following Equation1 with the respective far points Dwf, Dnf, and Dtf as corresponding farpoints. In this way, limit positions of the image recognition, which isimplemented by individually imaging the external environment through theunits 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t, are defined by the corresponding far pointsDwf, Dnf, and Dtf, respectively.Lf=EFL·Sf/Wf  (Eq. 1)

In this example, Lf in Equation 1 represents the distance from each ofthe units 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t to corresponding one of the correspondingfar point Dwf, Dnf, and Dtf. EFL in Equation 1 represents a focal length(in detail, a combined focal point between each of the lens 34 w, 34 n,34 t and its subsequent lens set) in each of the units 30 w, 30 n, and30 t. Sf in Equation 1 represents a minimum object size required forimage recognition at each of the corresponding far points Dwf, Dnf, andDtf of corresponding one of the units 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t. The minimumobject size Sf is a minimum dimensional value set for each type of theobject in each of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.The minimum object size Sf is the minimum dimensional value, forexample, at the corresponding far point Dwf, Dnf, or Dtf required forvehicle control with an external circuit. The minimum dimensional valueis presumed in advance. Wf in Equation 1 represents a minimum pixelwidth required for image recognition with the image pickup device 511 ofthe imager unit 51 of corresponding one of the units 30 w, 30 n, and 30t in the imaging system 50. The minimum pixel width Wf is, for example,a pixel width of a number of pixels which are common in the verticaldirection and the lateral direction of the image pickup device 511. Theminimum pixel width Wf is set to a pixel width of a number of pixelsminimally required for image recognition in pattern matching of theoutside image generated through the image pickup device 511.

On the other hand, the respective units 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t as the lensunits 30, which belong to the first to fourth noted sets, satisfy thefollowing Equation 2 with the respective near points Dwc, Dnc, and Dtcas corresponding near points. In this way, the imaging limit positions,at which the image is focused in imaging the external environmentindividually through the respective units 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t, aredefined by the respective near points Dwc, Dnc, and Dtc.Lc=EFL ² ·Pc/(FNO·D _(c))  (Eq. 2)

In this example, Lc in Equation 2 represents the distance from each ofthe units 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t to corresponding one of the correspondingnear points Dwc, Dnc, and Dtc. EFL in Equation 2 represents a focallength of each of the units 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t as in the case ofEquation 1. Pc in Equation 2 represents a pixel pitch of multiple pixelsin the image pickup device 511 of the imager unit 51 corresponding toone of the units 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t of the imaging system 50. Thepixel pitch Pc is set to, for example, an arrays pitch of the respectivepixels which are common in the vertical direction and the lateraldirection of the image pickup device 511. FNO in Equation 2 representsan F number of each of the units 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t. The F number isalso referred to as an F value. In detail, the F number is a composite Fnumber of each of the lens 34 w, 34 n, 34 t and its subsequent lens set.Dc in the Equation represents a diameter of a circle of confusion in theimage pickup device 511 of the imager unit 51 corresponding to one ofthe units 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t in the imaging system 50.

(Operational Effects)

The operational effects of the first embodiment described above will bedescribed below.

According to the first embodiment, the lens units 30 of the first tofourth noted sets are configured so that at least two of the angles ofview θw, θn, and θt overlap with each other. The angles of view θw, θn,and θt are different from each other and are around the optical axes Aw,An, and At. The optical axes Aw, An, and At are shifted from each other.According to the first to fourth noted sets described above, in theplacement structure, the lens units 30, which configure the noted sets,overlap with each other when viewed in the vertical direction of thevehicle 2. In the first to fourth noted sets, at least two of theoptical axes Aw, An, and At are in proximity to each other in thelateral direction of the vehicle 2. According to the configuration, asshown in (a) to (c) in FIG. 6 , the outside images are generatedindividually through the respective lens units 30, which belong to thefirst to fourth noted sets. In the outside images, a large shift in thelateral direction unlikely arises in the positional coordinates of thepixels, which reflect the same portions Pw, Pn, and Pt, relative to therespective optical axes Ax, An, and At. Therefore, the configurationenables to enhance an image position accuracy of imaging the externalenvironment through the respective lens units 30 of the first to fourthnoted sets in the lateral direction. Herein, in view of particularly thesecond noted set, the high image position accuracy described above canbe attained by the telescopic unit 30 t of the angle of view θ and thewide angle unit 30 w of the angle of view θw. The telescopic unit 30 thas the angle of view θt narrower than the angle of view θw. Thetelescopic unit 30 t is another narrow angle unit different from thenarrow angle unit 30 n.

In addition, according to the first to fourth noted sets of the firstembodiment, at least two of the optical axes Aw, An, and At of the lensunits 30, which belong to the noted sets, are decentered particularly inthe vertical direction. According to the configuration, in therespective generated outside images through the respective lens units30, which configure the first to fourth noted sets, a shift, inparticular in the lateral direction, unlikely arises in the positionalcoordinates of the pixels reflecting the same portions Pw, Pn, and Pt.Therefore, the configuration ensures high image position accuracy inimaging of the external environment with a small shift correction amountin the lateral direction.

Further, according to the first and third noted sets in the firstembodiment, two of the depths of recognition field Dw, Dn, and Dt of thelens units 30 overlap with each other to form the overlapping regionsRnw and Rtn when viewed in the vertical direction. The configurationimages the external environment through the respective lens units 30,which configure the first and third noted sets, to focus an image in awide range including the overlapping regions Rnw and Rtn and enables toenhance image position accuracy in the lateral direction.

According to the first embodiment, the optical axes Aw and An are inproximity to each other in the lateral direction with the placementstructure in which the wide angle unit 30 w with the wide angle of viewθw and the narrow angle unit 30 n with the narrow angle of view θn asthe lens units 30 of the first and fourth noted sets overlap with eachother when viewed in the vertical direction. According to theconfiguration, in the generated outside images individually through thewide angle unit 30 w and the narrow angle unit 30 n, large lateral shiftunlikely arises in the positional coordinates of the pixels reflectingthe same portions Pw and Pn. In the configuration, the outside imagepasses through the narrow angle unit 30 n and the wide angle unit 30 w.The wide angle unit 30 w has the depth of recognition field Dw in whichthe far point Dwf is set on the deeper side beyond the near point Dnc ofthe depth of recognition field Dn to focus the image in a wide rangeincluding the overlapping region Rnw of those depths of recognitionfield. In this way, the configuration enables to enhance the imagepositional accuracy by imaging the external environment in the lateraldirection.

According to the first embodiment, the wide angle unit 30 w, the narrowangle unit 30 n, and the telescopic unit 30 t, which is narrower in theangle of view θt than the wide and narrow angle units, as the lens units30 of the fourth noted set overlap with each other when viewed in thevertical direction. With the placement structure, the optical axes Aw,An, and At are in proximity to each other in the lateral direction.According to the configuration, the outside images are generatedindividually through the wide angle unit 30 w, the narrow angle unit 30n, and the telescopic unit 30 t. In the generated outside images, largelateral shift unlikely arises in the positional coordinates of thepixels reflecting the same portions Pw, Pn, and Pt. The configurationcauses the outside image to pass through the telescopic unit 30 t, thenarrow angle unit 30 n with the depth of recognition field Dn, and thewide angle unit 30 w with the depth of recognition field Dw describedabove to focus the image in a wide range including the overlappingregions Rtn and Rnw of the respective two of those depths of recognitionfield. In the depth of recognition field Dn, the far point Dnf is set onthe deeper side beyond the near point Dtc of the depth of recognitionfield Dt. In this way, the configuration enables to enhance the imagepositional accuracy in the lateral direction in imaging of the externalenvironment.

According to the first embodiment, in the depths of recognition field Dnand Dw of the lens units 30, which configure the first noted set inwhich the angles of view θn and θw overlap with each other, another farpoint Dwf is set between one near point Dnc and one far point Dnf in theexternal environment 5. In this way, the configuration forms the regionRnw in which the depths of recognition field Dn and Dw overlap with eachother. One far point Dnf and the other far point Dwf in the first notedset define limit positions of the image recognition which is implementedby imaging the external environment individually through the respectivelens units 30. According to the configuration, in the respective lensunits 30, depths of recognition field Dn and Dw overlap with each otherin the first noted set. In any of the outside images generated throughthe respective lens units 30, an object moving relatively in theoverlapping region Rnw can be discriminated with image recognition. Theoutside image is a result of imaging the external environment throughthe respective lens units 30 of the first noted set. The configurationenables to restrict an object in the outside image from being lost inthe region Rnw where the respective depths of recognition field Dn andDw overlap with each other.

In addition, according to the first embodiment, another far point Dnf isset in the depths of recognition field Dt and Dn of the lens units 30,which configure the third noted set in which the angles of view θt andθn overlap with each other. The far point Dnf is set between one nearpoint Dtc and one far point Dtf in the external environment 5, therebyto form the region Rtn in which the depths of recognition field Dt andDn overlap with each other. One far point Dtf and the other far pointDnf in the third noted set define limit positions of the imagerecognition which is implemented by imaging the external environmentindividually through the respective lens units 30. According to theconfiguration, depths of recognition field Dt and Dn overlap with eachother in the third noted set. The configuration with image recognitionenables to discriminate the object moving relatively in the overlappingregion Rtn in any of the outside images generated through the respectivelens units 30. Therefore, the configuration enables to restrict theobject in the outside image from being lost in the region Rtn where therespective depths of recognition field Dt and Dn overlap with eachother. The outside image is a result of imaging of the externalenvironment through the respective lens units 30 of the third noted set.

Further, according to the first embodiment, the lens units 30, whichconfigure the first and third noted sets, satisfy the above-mentionedEquation 1, with the respective far points Dwf, Dnf, and Dtf as thecorresponding far points. According to the configuration, the respectivefar points Dwf, Dnf, and Dtf in the first and third noted sets canprecisely define limit positions of the image recognition. The imagerecognition is implemented by imaging the external environment throughthe respective lens units 30. Therefore, in the overlapping regions Rnwand Rtn, reliability of the effect to restrict the loss of an object,which is caused due to an image recognition failure, can be ensured.

Further, according to the first embodiment, the lens units 30, whichbelong to the first and third noted sets, satisfy the above-mentionedEquation 2 with the respective near points Dwc, Dnc, and Dtc as thecorresponding near points. According to the configuration, therespective near points Dwc, Dnc, and Dtc in the first and third notedsets is enabled to precisely define imaging limit positions at which theimage is focused by imaging the external environment through therespective lens units 30. Therefore, in the overlapping regions Rnw andRtn, reliability of the effect to restrict the loss of an object causedby an imaging failure can be ensured.

Second Embodiment

As shown in FIG. 7 , a second embodiment is a modification of the firstembodiment. In the second embodiment, a placement relationship of a wideangle unit 2030 w, a narrow angle unit 2030 n, and a telescopic unit2030 t as lens units 2030 is different from that in the firstembodiment.

The narrow angle lens 34 n, which forms the front end of the narrowangle unit 2030 n, is located without substantial lateral shift on theupper side of the wide angle lens 34 w, which forms the front end of thewide angle unit 2030 w. The narrow angle lens 34 n is shifted toward therear side of the wide angle lens 34 w. In this example, the optical axisAn of the narrow angle unit 2030 n is decentered from the optical axisAw of the wide angle unit 2030 w particularly in a substantiallyvertical direction. The configuration aligns those positions with theoptical axis Aw in the lateral direction of the vehicle 2. In theconfiguration, the further the front windshield 3 approaches the frontside, the further the front windshield 3 is inclined toward the lowerside on the deeper side. The wide angle unit 2030 w protrudes toward thedeeper side beyond the upper narrow angle unit 2030 n.

The telescopic lens 34 t, which forms the front end of the telescopicunit 2030 t, is located without substantial lateral shift on the upperside of the narrow angle lens 34 n. The telescopic lens 34 t is shiftedtoward the rear side of the narrow angle lens 34 n. In this example, theoptical axis At of the telescopic unit 2030 t is decentered from both ofthe respective optical axes Aw and An of the wide angle unit 2030 w andthe narrow angle unit 2030 n in the substantially vertical direction.The configuration aligns those positions with both of the optical axesAw and An in the lateral direction of the vehicle 2. In theconfiguration, the narrow angle unit 2030 n and the wide angle unit 2030w protrude toward the deeper side beyond the upper telescopic unit 2030t.

In the second embodiment, a vertical wall portion 2210 of the uppercasing member 21 stepwisely protrudes in the camera casing 20. Thefurther the vertical wall portion 2210 approaches the lower side, thefurther the vertical wall portion 2210 stepwisely protrudes toward thedeeper side on the front side, according to the placement relationshipin which the units 2030 w, 2030 n, and 2030 t are shifted in thelongitudinal direction. Each of the units 2030 w, 2030 n, and 2030 tseparately has the lens window 211, which penetrates through thevertical wall portion 2210 and exposes corresponding one of the units tothe outside of the camera casing 20.

In the second embodiment described above, the first to fourth noted setsare supposed as the noted sets in which the respective lens units 2030at least partially overlap with each other when viewed in the verticaldirection. More specifically, the first noted set includes the wideangle unit 2030 w and the narrow angle unit 2030 n which overlap witheach other when viewed in the vertical direction. The second noted setincludes the wide angle unit 2030 w and the telescopic unit 2030 t whichoverlap with each other when viewed in the vertical direction. The thirdnoted set includes the narrow angle unit 2030 n and the telescopic unit2030 t which overlap with each other when viewed in the verticaldirection. The fourth noted set includes the wide angle unit 2030 w, thenarrow angle unit 2030 n, and the telescopic unit 2030 t which overlapwith each other when viewed in the vertical direction.

According to the first and fourth noted sets according to the secondembodiment as described above, the further the wide angle unit 2030 wapproaches the lower side, the further the wide angle unit 2030 wprotrudes from the upper narrow angle unit 2030 n toward the deeper sideof the front windshield 3, which is inclined. According to theconfiguration, the clearance between each of the wide angle unit 2030 wand the narrow angle unit 2030 n and the front windshield 3 is narrowedas much as possible to cause both of the units to reduce excess lightincidence into the angles of view θw and θn through the clearance. Inaddition, the wide angle unit 2030 w protrudes toward the deeper sidebeyond the narrow angle unit 2030 n. The configuration enables torestrict the narrow angle unit 2030 n from entering the wide angle ofview θw of the wide angle unit 2030 w. From the above viewpoint, theconfiguration enables to enhance the image position precision in imagingof the external environment in the lateral direction through the wideangle unit 2030 w and the narrow angle unit 2030 n, without restrictiondue to excess light and interference of both of those units with eachother.

In the second and fourth noted sets according to the second embodiment,the further the front windshield 3 approaches the lower side, thefurther the front windshield 3 is inclined toward the deeper side. Thewide angle unit 2030 w protrudes from the upper telescopic unit 2030 ttoward the deeper side of the front windshield 3. According to theconfiguration, the clearance between each of the wide angle unit 2030 wand the telescopic unit 2030 t and the front windshield 3 is narrowed asmuch as possible to cause both of the units to reduce to reduce excesslight incidence into the angles of view θw and θt through the clearance.In addition, the wide angle unit 2030 w protrudes toward the deeper sidebeyond the telescopic unit 2030 t. Therefore, the configuration enablesto restrict the telescopic unit 2030 t from entering the wide angle ofview θw of the wide angle unit 2030 w. From the above viewpoint, theconfiguration enables to enhance the image position precision in imagingof the external environment in the lateral direction through the wideangle unit 2030 w and the telescopic unit 2030 t, without restrictiondue to excess light and interference of both of those units with eachother. In particular, in view of particularly the second noted set, theexternal environment imaging described above can be attained with thetelescopic unit 2030 t, in which the angle of view θt is narrower thanthe angle of view θw, and the wide angle unit 2030 w of the angle ofview θw. The telescopic unit 2030 t is another narrow angle unit thanthe narrow angle unit 2030 n.

According to the third and fourth noted sets according to the secondembodiment, the narrow angle unit 2030 n protrudes from the uppertelescopic unit 2030 t toward the deeper side of the front windshield 3.The further the front windshield 3 approaches the lower side, thefurther the front windshield 3 is inclined toward the deeper side.According to the configuration, the clearance between each of the narrowangle unit 2030 n and the telescopic unit 2030 t and the frontwindshield 3 is narrowed as much as possible to cause both of the unitsto reduce excess light incidence into the angles of view θn and θtthrough the clearance. In addition, the narrow angle unit 2030 nprotrudes toward the deeper side beyond the telescopic unit 2030 t.Therefore, the configuration enables to restrict the telescopic unit2030 t from entering the angle of view θn of the narrow angle unit 2030n. From the above viewpoint, the configuration enables to enhance theimage position precision in imaging of the external environment in thelateral direction through the narrow angle unit 2030 n and thetelescopic unit 2030 t, without restriction due to excess light andinterference of both of the units with each other. In particular, in thefourth noted set, the telescopic unit 2030 t can be restricted fromentering not only the inside of the wide angle of view θw but also theinside of the angle of view θn; the angle of view θn is narrower thanthe angle of view θw but wider than the angle of view θt of thetelescopic unit 2030 t. Therefore, the configuration enables to producethe external environment imaging through all of the units.

Incidentally, the wide angle unit 2030 w, the narrow angle unit 2030 n,and the telescopic unit 2030 t of the second embodiment aresubstantially identical to corresponding ones of the first embodiment inthe wide angle unit 30 w, the narrow angle unit 30 n, and the telescopicunit 30 t except for the configurations described above. Moreparticularly, even in the second embodiment in which the longitudinalpositions of the respective units 2030 w, 2030 n, and 2030 t areshifted, the depths of recognition field Dw, Dn, and Dt are set in thesame manner as that in the first embodiment. From the above viewpoints,the first to fourth noted sets according to the second embodiment enableto produce the same operational effects as those in the first to fourthnoted sets of the first embodiment.

Third Embodiment

As illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10 , a third embodiment is a modificationof the first embodiment. In the third embodiment, a placementrelationship of a wide angle unit 3030 w, a narrow angle unit 3030 n,and a telescopic unit 3030 t as lens units 3030 is different from thatin the first embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10 , the narrow angle lens 34 n, which forms thefront end of the narrow angle unit 3030 n, is located withoutsubstantial longitudinal shift on the upper side of the wide angle lens34 w, which forms the front end of the wide angle unit 3030 w. Thenarrow angle lens 34 n is shifted toward one side (that is, the leftside in FIG. 10 ) in the lateral direction from the wide angle lens 34w. In this example, the optical axis An of the narrow angle unit 3030 nis decentered in both of the vertical direction and the lateraldirection from the optical axis Aw of the wide angle unit 3030 w. Withthe configuration, the wide angle unit 2030 w does not substantiallyprotrude from the upper narrow angle unit 2030 n toward the deeper side;the further the front windshield 3 approaches the lower side, thefurther the front windshield 3 is inclined toward the front side on thedeeper side.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the telescopic lens 34 t, which forms thefront end of the telescopic unit 3030 t, is located without substantiallongitudinal shift on the upper side of the wide angle lens 34 w.However, the telescopic lens 34 t is shifted toward the other side fromthe wide angle lens 34 w in the lateral direction (that is, the rightside in FIG. 10 opposite to the narrow angle unit 3030 n). In thisexample, the optical axis At of the telescopic unit 3030 t is decenteredin both of the vertical direction and the lateral direction from theoptical axis Aw of the wide angle unit 3030 w. In addition, the opticalaxis At of the telescopic unit 30 t is decentered from the optical axisAn of the narrow angle unit 3030 n particularly in the substantiallylateral direction. In this way, the configuration aligns the opticalaxis At with the optical axis An in the vertical position the vehicle 2.In the configuration, the wide angle unit 3030 w does not substantiallyprotrude from the upper telescopic unit 3030 t and the lateral narrowangle unit 3030 n toward the deeper side.

In the third embodiment described above, the first and second noted setsare supposed as the noted sets in which the respective lens units 3030at least partially overlap with each other when viewed in the verticaldirection. The third noted set is supposed as the noted set in which thelens units 3030 overlap with each other when viewed in the lateraldirection. More specifically, the first noted set includes the wideangle unit 3030 w and the narrow angle unit 3030 n which overlap witheach other when viewed in the vertical direction. The second noted setincludes the wide angle unit 3030 w and the telescopic unit 3030 t whichoverlap with each other when viewed in the vertical direction. The thirdnoted set includes the narrow angle unit 3030 n and the telescopic unit3030 t which overlap with each other when viewed in the lateraldirection.

In the first and second noted sets according to the third embodiment,the respective two of the optical axes Aw, An, and At of the lens units3030 overlap with each other when viewed in the vertical direction andare decentered in both of the vertical direction and the lateraldirection. The configuration restricts the lateral shift in the positioncoordinates of the pixels, which reflect the same places Pw, Pn, and Ptin the respective outside images generated through the respective lensunits 3030. In addition, even though the physical size increases in thevertical direction due to the restriction in the lateral shift, theconfiguration enables to ensure the degree of freedom of placement forreducing, for example, the increase in the physical size; the respectivelens units 3030 configure the first and second noted sets. Therefore,the configuration enables to secure high image position accuracy in thelateral direction while securing the field of view of an unprescribedoccupant in the vehicle 2 in the vertical direction. In particular, inview of particularly the second noted set, the telescopic unit 3030 t ofthe angle of view θt, which is narrower than the angle of view θw, andthe wide angle unit 3030 w of the angle of view θw enable to secure thefield of view and to ensure the accuracy described above; the telescopicunit 3030 t is another narrow angle unit than the narrow angle unit 3030n.

Further, according to the third embodiment, the narrow angle unit 3030 nbelongs to the first noted set, and the telescopic unit 3030 t belongsto the second noted set. The narrow angle unit 3030 n and the telescopicunit 3030 t belong to the third noted set different from the first notedset and the second noted set. The narrow angle unit 3030 n and thetelescopic unit 3030 t overlap with each other when viewed in thelateral direction. In addition, the optical axes An and At of both theunits are decentered from each other in the lateral direction. Theconfiguration enables to enhance the effect to secure the occupant'sfield of view while inhibiting the increase in the physical size in thevertical direction, which is caused by the restriction in the lateralshift, as much as possible.

Incidentally, the wide angle unit 3030 w, the narrow angle unit 3030 n,and the telescopic unit 3030 t according to the third embodiment aresubstantially identical to corresponding ones in the wide angle unit 30w, the narrow angle unit 30 n, and the telescopic unit 30 t of the firstembodiment except for the configurations described above. Moreparticularly, in the third embodiment, the narrow angle unit 3030 n andthe telescopic unit 3030 t are aligned side by side on the upper side ofthe wide angle unit 3030 w. Even in the configuration, the depths ofrecognition field Dw, Dn, and Dt are set in the same manner as those inthe first embodiment. From the above viewpoints, the first and secondnoted sets according to the third embodiment enable to produce the sameoperational effects as those in the first and second noted sets of thefirst embodiment.

Fourth Embodiment

As shown in FIG. 11 , a fourth embodiment is a modification of the firstembodiment. In the fourth embodiment, the setting of the depth ofrecognition field Dw for a wide angle unit 4030 w of the lens units 30is different from that in the first embodiment.

The far point Dwf of the wide angle unit 4030 w defines the depth ofrecognition field Dw within the wide angle of view θw. The far point Dwfis set on the deeper side beyond the near point Dtc of the telescopicunit 30 t. The near point Dtc defines the depth of recognition field Dtwithin the angle of view θt which is narrower than the angle of view θw.In addition, the far point Dwf of the wide angle unit 4030 w is set onthe closer side of the far point Dtf of the telescopic unit 30 t. Withthose settings, the far point Dwf of the wide angle unit 4030 w ispositioned between the near point Dtc and the far point Dtf of thetelescopic unit 30 t. In this way, the units 30 t and 4030 w form theregion Rtw in which the depths of recognition field Dt and Dw overlapwith each other. In the fourth embodiment described above, inparticular, the second noted set includes the wide angle unit 4030 w andthe telescopic unit 30 t which overlap with each other when viewed inthe vertical direction as in the first embodiment.

Further, according to the second noted set in the fourth embodiment, therespective depths of recognition field Dt and Dw of the lens units 30overlap with each other when viewed in the vertical direction and forman overlapping region Rtw. The configuration focuses the image in a widerange including the overlapping region Rtw and images the externalenvironment through the respective lens units 30, which belong to thesecond noted set. In this way, the configuration enables to enhanceimage position accuracy in the lateral direction.

According to the fourth embodiment, the wide angle unit 4030 w with thewide angle of view θw and the telescopic unit 30 t with the narrow angleof view θt, which are the lens units 30 of the second noted set, overlapwith each other when viewed in the vertical direction. With theplacement structure, the optical axes Aw and An are in proximity to eachother in the lateral direction. According to the configuration, in thegenerated outside images through the wide angle unit 4030 w and thetelescopic unit 30 t, a large shift unlikely arises in the positionalcoordinates of the pixels, which reflect the same portions Pw and Pt, inthe lateral direction. In the depth of recognition field Dw, the farpoint Dwf is set on the deeper side beyond the near point Dtc of thedepth of recognition field Dt. Therefore, the configuration enables tofocus the outside image through the telescopic unit 30 t and the wideangle unit 4030 w in a wide range including the overlapping region Rtwof those depths of recognition field. In this way, the configurationenables to enhance the image positional accuracy in imaging of theexternal environment in the lateral direction. As described above, inthe fourth embodiment, the telescopic unit 2030 t is another narrowangle unit than the narrow angle unit 30 n. The second noted setincludes the telescopic unit 2030 t, in which the angle of view θt isnarrower than the angle of view θw, and the wide angle unit 4030 w ofthe angle of view θw. The second noted set enables to produce theexternal environment imaging described above.

Incidentally, the wide angle unit 4030 w of the fourth embodiment issubstantially identical to the wide angle unit 30 w of the firstembodiment except for the configurations described above. Therefore, thefirst to fourth noted sets according to the fourth embodiment enable toproduce the same operational effects as those in the first to fourthnoted sets of the first embodiment.

Fifth Embodiment

As shown in FIG. 12 , a fifth embodiment is a modification of the fourthembodiment. In the fifth embodiment, the setting of the depth ofrecognition field Dw for a wide angle unit 5030 w of the lens units 30is different from that in the fourth embodiment.

The wide angle unit 5030 w defines the depth of recognition field Dwwithin the wide angle of view θw. The narrow angle unit 30 n defines thedepth of recognition field Dn within the angle of view θn narrower thanthe angle of view θw. The near point Dwc of the wide angle unit 5030 wis set on the deeper side beyond the near point Dnc of the narrow angleunit 30 n. In addition, the far point Dwf of the wide angle unit 5030 wis set on the closer side of the far point Dnf of the narrow angle unit30 n. With those settings, both of the near point Dwc and the far pointDwf of the wide angle unit 5030 w are positioned between the near pointDnc and the far point Dnf of the narrow angle unit 30 n. In this way,the units 30 n and 5030 w form the region Rnw in which the depths ofrecognition field Dn and Dw overlap with each other. In the fifthembodiment described above, in particular, the second noted set includesthe wide angle unit 5030 w and the telescopic unit 30 t which overlapwith each other when viewed in the vertical direction as in the fourthembodiment.

The wide angle unit 5030 w of the fifth embodiment is substantiallyidentical to the wide angle unit 4030 w of the fourth embodiment exceptfor the configurations described above. Therefore, the first to fourthnoted sets according to the fifth embodiment enable to produce the sameoperational effects as those in the first to fourth noted sets accordingto the fourth embodiment.

Sixth Embodiment

As illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 18 , a sixth embodiment is a modificationof the first embodiment. In the sixth embodiment, a placementrelationship of a wide angle unit 6030 w, a narrow angle unit 6030 n,and a telescopic unit 6030 t as lens units 6030 is different from thatin the first embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 13, 14, 16, and 18 , the narrow angle lens 34 n, whichforms the front end of the narrow angle unit 6030 n, is located withoutsubstantial vertical shift from the wide angle lens 34 w, which formsthe front end of the wide angle unit 6030 w. The narrow angle lens 34 nis shifted from the wide angle lens 34 w on the front end and one side(that is, a left side in FIG. 18 ) in the lateral direction as theexternal environment 5 side. In this example, the optical axis An of thenarrow angle unit 6030 n is decentered substantially in the lateraldirection from the optical axis Aw of the wide angle unit 6030 w.

As shown in FIGS. 15, 16, and 18 , the telescopic lens 34 t, which formsthe front end of the telescopic unit 6030 t, is located withoutsubstantial vertical shift from the wide angle lens 34 w. The telescopiclens 34 t is shifted from the wide angle lens 34 w toward the front endon the external environment 5 side. The telescopic lens 34 t is furthershifted from the wide angle lens 34 w toward the other side (that is,the right side in FIG. 18 ) in the lateral direction. In this example,the optical axis At of the telescopic unit 6030 t is decenteredsubstantially in the lateral direction from both of the optical axis Awof the wide angle unit 6030 w and the optical axis An of the narrowangle unit 6030 n.

In the sixth embodiment described above, a vertical wall portion 6210 ofan upper casing member 21 of the camera casing 20 shown in FIGS. 13 to16 is formed to meet a placement relationship in which the respectiveunits 6030 w, 6030 n, and 6030 t are shifted from each other in thelongitudinal direction described above. Specifically, the further thevertical wall portion 6210 approaches both of its right and left lateralsides from its center portion in the lateral direction, the further thevertical wall portion 6210 obliquely protrudes toward the front side onthe external environment 5 side (that is, the deeper side described inthe first embodiment). The lens windows 6211 w, 6211 n, and 6211 t areseparately formed for each of the units. The lens windows 6211 w, 6211n, and 6211 t penetrate through the vertical wall portion 6210 andexpose the units 6030 w, 6030 n, and 6030 t, respectively, to theoutside of the camera casing 20. In this example, the vertical positionsof the lens windows 6211 w, 6211 n, and 6211 t corresponding to therespective units 6030 w, 6030 n, and 6030 t are aligned with each other.In addition, the longitudinal positions of the lens windows 6211 n and6211 t corresponding to the narrow angle unit 6030 n and the telescopicunit 6030 t, respectively, are aligned with each other in a state wherebeing shifted from the longitudinal position of the lens window 6211 wcorresponding to the wide angle unit 6030 w.

In the sixth embodiment described above, the first to fourth noted setsare supposed as the noted sets in which the respective lens units 6030overlap with each other when viewed in the lateral direction. Morespecifically, the first noted set includes the wide angle unit 6030 wand the narrow angle unit 6030 n which overlap with each other whenviewed in the lateral direction. The second noted set includes the wideangle unit 6030 w and the telescopic unit 6030 t which overlap with eachother when viewed in the lateral direction. The third noted set includesthe narrow angle unit 6030 n and the telescopic unit 6030 t whichoverlap with each other when viewed in the lateral direction. The fourthnoted set includes the wide angle unit 6030 w, the narrow angle unit6030 n, and telescopic unit 6030 t, which overlap with each other whenviewed in the lateral direction.

Incidentally, the wide angle unit 6030 w, the narrow angle unit 6030 n,and the telescopic unit 6030 t according to the sixth embodimentdescribed above are substantially identical to corresponding ones in thewide angle unit 30 w, the narrow angle unit 30 n, and the telescopicunit 30 t of the first embodiment except for the configurationsdescribed above. More particularly, even in the sixth embodiment, inwhich the longitudinal positions of the respective units 6030 w, 6030 n,and 6030 t are shifted, the depths of recognition field Dw, Dn, and Dtare set in the same manner as that in the first embodiment.

Therefore, the first and third noted sets according to the sixthembodiment enables to produce the operational effects other than imageposition accuracy in the lateral direction in the same manner as that inthe first and third noted sets of the first embodiment. Furthermore, thefirst to fourth noted sets, as the operational effects inherent in thesixth embodiment, enable to secure the image positional accuracy in thelateral direction by correcting the shift in the position coordinates.In particular, in view of particularly the second noted set, thetelescopic unit 6030 t of the angle of view θt and the wide angle unit6030 w of the angle of view θw enable to secure the accuracy asdescribed above; the telescopic unit 6030 t is another narrow angle unitthan the narrow angle unit 6030 n and has the angle of view θt isnarrower than the angle of view θw.

As shown in FIGS. 13 to 17 , in the sixth embodiment, according to theplacement relationship of the respective lens units 6030, a pair of sidewall portions 6043 is different in each structure from that in the firstembodiment. The pair of side wall portions 6043 is provided on both oflateral sides of an imaging space 410. In a hood 6040, the imaging space410 is on the upper side of the base wall portion 41.

Each of the side wall portions 6043 is provided symmetrically withrespect to the optical axis Aw of the wide angle unit 6030 w. The wideangle unit 6030 w is located at a center of the lens units 6030 alignedin the lateral direction. Each of the side wall portions 6043, which isin a straight plate-like shape, is inclined relative to the optical axisAw of the unit 6030 w toward the outer lateral side corresponding to thewide angle of view θw of the unit 6030 w, as the side wall portion 6043extends from the periphery of the wide angle unit 6030 w toward thefront side on the external environment 5 side. In each of the side wallportions 6043, a trapezoidal planar inner wall surface 6043 a is formedto spread along a taper line of the angle of view θw outside the angleof view θw as shown in FIG. 17 when viewed in the vertical direction(that is, when viewed to the horizontal plane) of the vehicle 2, whichis on the horizontal plane. In this way, the respective angles of viewθn and θt of the narrow angle unit 6030 n and the telescopic unit 6030t, which are narrower than the angle of view θw of the wide angle unit6030 w, are partially located inside the angle of view θw within theimaging space 410 when viewed in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIGS. 13, 16, and 17 , a wide angle exposure window 6431 wopens between rear ends of the side wall portions 6043 on the front sideof the lens window 6211 w of the vertical wall portion 6210. The frontend of the wide angle unit 6030 w on the external environment 5 sideenters the inside of the wide angle exposure window 6431 w from theinside of the lens window 6211 w. The front end of the wide angle unit6030 w is still out of the imaging space 410. In this way, the wideangle exposure window 6431 w exposes the wide angle unit 6030 w towardthe imaging space 410.

As shown in FIGS. 13 to 17 , a narrow angle exposure window 6431 n openson the front side of the lens window 6211 n of the vertical wall portion6210 in a first side wall portion 6432. The first side wall portion 6432is a part of a side wall portion 6043 on one side in the lateraldirection. The vertical position of the narrow angle exposure window6431 n is aligned with the wide angle exposure window 6431 w. The frontend of the narrow angle unit 6030 n on the external environment 5 sideenters the inside of the narrow angle exposure window 6431 n from theinside of the lens window 6211 n. The front end of the narrow angle unit6030 n is still out of the imaging space 410. In this way, the narrowangle exposure window 6431 n exposes the narrow angle unit 6030 n towardthe imaging space 410.

As shown in FIGS. 15 to 17 , a telescopic exposure window 6431 t openson the front side of the lens window 6211 t of the vertical wall portion6210 in a second side wall portion 6433. The second side wall portion6433 is a part of the side wall portion 6043 on the other side in thelateral direction. The vertical position of the telescopic exposurewindow 6431 t is aligned with the wide angle exposure window 6431 w andthe narrow angle exposure window 6431 n. In addition, the longitudinalposition of the telescopic exposure window 6431 t is aligned with thenarrow angle exposure window 6431 n in a state where the longitudinaldirection is shifted from the wide angle exposure window 6431 w. In thisexample, the front end of the telescopic unit 6030 t on the externalenvironment 5 side enters the inside of the telescopic exposure window6431 t from the inside of the lens window 6211 t. The front end of thetelescopic unit 6030 t is still out of the imaging space 410. In thisway, the telescopic exposure window 6431 t exposes the telescopic unit6030 t toward the imaging space 410 on the front side of the wide angleunit 6030 w on the external environment 5 side and directly beside thenarrow angle unit 6030 n.

The hood 6040 according to the sixth embodiment is substantiallyidentical to the hood 40 of the first embodiment except for theconfigurations described above. Therefore, according to the hood 6040 ofthe sixth embodiment, on the lateral side of the imaging space 410,which is for guiding an optical image within the imaging target range tothe units 6030 w and 6030 n of the lens units 6030, the first side wallportion 6432 is inclined according to the angle of view θw of the wideangle unit 6030 w from the periphery of the wide angle unit 6030 wtoward the external environment side. The first side wall portion 6432is one of the pair of side wall portions 6043. The units 6030 w and 6030n belong to the first and fourth noted sets. More particular, in thehood 6040 of the sixth embodiment, the first side wall portion 6432 islocated in an inclined state spreading along the angle of view θw of thewide angle unit 6030 w. In this example, in the first side wall portion6432, the narrow angle exposure window 6431 n opens on the externalenvironment side of the wide angle unit 6030 w to expose the narrowangle unit 6030 n toward the imaging space 410. According to theconfiguration, the angle of view θn of the narrow angle unit 6030 nfalls within the inside of the angle of view θw of the wide angle unit6030 w that regulates the inclination of the first side wall portion6432 to share the imaging space 410 between both of those units.Therefore, a formation range of the first side wall portion 6432, inwhich the narrow angle exposure window 6431 n opens in the inclinedstate, is confined to a necessary range for the wide angle unit 6030 w.In this way, the configuration enables to reduce the size of the cameramodule 1 including the hood 6040.

In the first and fourth noted sets according to the sixth embodiment,the front end of the narrow angle unit 6030 n on the externalenvironment 5 side is located out of the imaging space 410. Therefore,the narrow angle unit 6030 n unlikely enters the inside of the angle ofview θw of the wide angle unit 6030 w. In this way, the narrow angleunit 6030 n unlikely disturbs and unlikely interferes with the imagingof the normal optical image of the external environment 5 in the imagingtarget range. In particular, the narrow angle unit 6030 n unlikelydisturbs and unlikely interferes with the external environment imagingthat can avoid loss of an object in the first noted set.

According to the sixth embodiment, the front end of the narrow angleunit 6030 n of the first, third, and fourth noted sets enters the insideof the narrow angle exposure window 6431 n. The front end of the narrowangle unit 6030 n is still out of the imaging space 410. According tothe configuration, the narrow angle unit 6030 n can be brought closer tothe front windshield 3 to restrict incidence of excess light into theangle of view θn through the clearance between the element 6030 n andthe element 3. Therefore, excess light incidence unlikely disturbs theimaging of the normal optical image of the external environment 5 in theimaging target range. In particular, excess light incidence unlikelydisturbs the external environment imaging that can avoid loss of anobject in the first noted set.

Moreover, according to the hood 6040 of the sixth embodiment, on thelateral side of the imaging space 410 for guiding an optical imagewithin the imaging target range to the respective units 6030 w and 6030t of the lens units 6030, the second side wall portion 6433 is inclinedaccording to the angle of view θw of the wide angle unit 6030 w from theperiphery of the wide angle unit 6030 w toward the external environmentside. The respective units 6030 w and 6030 t belong to the second andfourth noted sets. The second side wall portion 6433 is one of the pairof side wall portions 6043. More particular, in the hood 6040 of thesixth embodiment, the second side wall portion 6433 is located in aninclined state spreading along the angle of view θw of the wide angleunit 6030 w. In this example, in the second side wall portion 6433, atelescopic exposure window 6431 opens on the external environment sideof the wide angle unit 6030 w to expose the telescopic unit 6030 ttoward the imaging space 410. According to the configuration, the angleof view θt of the telescopic unit 6030 t falls within the inside of theangle of view θw of the wide angle unit 6030 w that regulates theinclination of the second side wall portion 6433 to share the imagingspace 410 between both of those units. Therefore, a formation range ofthe second side wall portion 6433 for opening the telescopic exposurewindow 6431 t in the inclined state is confined to a necessary range forthe wide angle unit 6030 w. In this way, the configuration enables toreduce the size of the camera module 1 including the hood 6040.

In the second and fourth noted sets according to the sixth embodiment,the front end of the telescopic unit 6030 t on the external environment5 side is located out of the imaging space 410. Therefore, thetelescopic unit 6030 t unlikely enters the inside of the angle of viewθw of the wide angle unit 6030 w. In this way, the telescopic unit 6030t unlikely disturbs and unlikely interferes with the imaging of thenormal optical image of the external environment 5 within the imagingtarget range.

According to the sixth embodiment, the front end of the telescopic unit6030 t of the second to fourth noted sets enters the inside of thetelescopic exposure window 6431 t. The front end of the telescopic unit6030 t is still out of the imaging space 410. According to theconfiguration, the telescopic unit 6030 t can be brought closer to thefront windshield 3 to restrict incidence of excess light into the angleof view θt through the clearance between the element 6030 t and theelement 3. Therefore, excess light incidence unlikely disturbs theimaging of the normal optical image of the external environment 5 withinthe imaging target range.

In particular, in view of particularly the second noted set, thereduction in size and the imaging of the normal optical image can beattained in the telescopic unit 6030 t in which the angle of view θt isnarrower than the angle of view θw by the telescopic exposure window6431 t as described above. The telescopic unit 6030 t is another narrowangle unit than the narrow angle unit 6030 n. The telescopic exposurewindow 6431 t is another narrow angle exposure window than the narrowangle exposure window 6431 n.

Seventh Embodiment

As illustrated in FIGS. 19 to 21 , a seventh embodiment is amodification of the first embodiment. In the seventh embodiment, theplacement position of a narrow angle unit 7030 n and a telescopic unit7030 t as the lens units 6030 are different from that in the sixthembodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 19 and 21 , the front end of the narrow angle unit7030 n on the side of the external environment 5 further enters theimaging space 410 from the inside of a lens window 6211 n and the insideof the narrow angle exposure window 6431 n. In this way, the narrowangle exposure window 6431 n exposes the narrow angle unit 7030 n to theimaging space 410. In addition, as shown in FIG. 21 , an angle of viewθn of the narrow angle unit 7030 n, which is narrower than the angle ofview θw of the wide angle unit 6030 w, is completely located inside theangle of view θw within the imaging space 410 when viewed in thevertical direction.

As shown in FIGS. 19 and 21 , the narrow angle unit 7030 n has areflection restriction portion 7036 n in its entire circumferential areaand in its entire end surface area at a portion including at least thefront end of the narrow angle unit 7030 n. The narrow angle unit 7030 nenters and is exposed in the imaging space 410. The reflectionrestriction portion 7036 n is formed by, for example, applying blackcoating or painting to the narrow angle lens barrel 32 n of the narrowangle unit 7030 n. Incidentally, for example, when the narrow angle lensbarrel 32 n itself is made of a black material, the reflectionrestriction portion 7036 n is not necessarily provided.

As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 , the front end of the telescopic unit 7030t on the external environment 5 side further enters the imaging space410 from the inside of a lens window 6211 t and the inside of thetelescopic exposure window 6431 t. In this way, the telescopic exposurewindow 6431 t exposes the telescopic unit 7030 t to the imaging space410 on the front side of the wide angle unit 6030 w on the externalenvironment 5 side and directly beside the narrow angle unit 7030 n. Inaddition, as shown in FIG. 21 , an angle of view θt of the telescopicunit 7030 t, which is narrower than the angle of view θw of the wideangle unit 6030 w, is completely located inside the angle of view θwwithin the imaging space 410 when viewed in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 , the telescopic unit 7030 t has areflection restriction portion 7036 t in its entire circumferential areaand in its entire end surface area at a portion including at least thefront end of the telescopic unit 7030 t which enters and is exposed inthe imaging space 410. The reflection restriction portion 7036 t isformed by, for example, applying black coating or painting to thetelescopic lens barrel 32 t of the telescopic unit 7030 t. Incidentally,for example, when the telescopic lens barrel 32 t itself is made of ablack material, the reflection restriction portion 7036 t is notnecessarily provided.

In the seventh embodiment described above, as in the sixth embodiment,the first to fourth noted sets are supposed as the noted sets in whichthe respective lens units 6030 overlap with each other when viewed inthe lateral direction. More specifically, the first noted set includesthe wide angle unit 6030 w and the narrow angle unit 7030 n whichoverlap with each other when viewed in the lateral direction. The secondnoted set includes the wide angle unit 6030 w and the telescopic unit7030 t which overlap with each other when viewed in the lateraldirection. The third noted set includes the narrow angle unit 7030 n andthe telescopic unit 7030 t which overlap with each other when viewed inthe lateral direction. The fourth noted set includes the wide angle unit6030 w, the narrow angle unit 7030 n, and the telescopic unit 7030 t,which overlap with each other when viewed in the lateral direction.

According to the seventh embodiment described above, the front end ofthe narrow angle unit 7030 n of the first, third and fourth noted setsenters the imaging space 410 from the inside of the narrow angleexposure window 6431 n. According to the configuration, the clearancebetween the narrow angle unit 7030 n and the front windshield 3 isnarrowed as much as possible, and the effect of reducing excess lightincidence into the angle of view θn through the clearance can beenhanced. Therefore, the imaging of the normal optical image of theexternal environment 5 in the imaging target range, in particular, theexternal environment imaging that can avoid loss of an object in thefirst noted set can be attained without being disturbed by excess lightincidence.

Further, according to the seventh embodiment, the front end of thenarrow angle unit 7030 n of the first and fourth noted sets enters theimaging space 410. At the front end of the narrow angle unit 7030 n,reflection of light can be regulated by the reflection restrictionportion 7036 n. The configuration enables to restrict reflected light,which is reflected on the front end of the narrow angle unit 7030 n inthe imaging space 410 from entering the inside of the angle of view θwof the wide angle unit 6030 w. Therefore, the imaging of the normaloptical image of the external environment 5 in the imaging target range,in particular, the external environment imaging that can avoid loss ofan object in the first noted set can be attained without being disturbedby the reflected light incidence.

According to the seventh embodiment, the front end of the telescopicunit 7030 t of the second to fourth noted sets enters the imaging space410 from the inside of the telescopic exposure window 6431 t. Accordingto the configuration, the clearance between the telescopic unit 7030 tand the front windshield 3 is narrowed as much as possible, and theeffect of reducing excess light incidence into the angle of view θtthrough the clearance can be enhanced. Therefore, the imaging of thenormal optical image of the external environment 5 within the imagingtarget range can be attained without being disturbed by incidence ofexcess light.

Further, according to the seventh embodiment, the front end of thetelescopic unit 7030 t of the second and fourth noted sets enters theimaging space 410. At the front end of the telescopic unit 7030 t,reflection of light can be regulated by the reflection restrictionportion 7036 t. The configuration enables to restrict light, which isreflected on the front end of the telescopic unit 7030 t in the imagingspace 410, from entering the inside of the angle of view θw of the wideangle unit 6030 w. Therefore, the imaging of the normal optical image ofthe external environment 5 within the imaging target range can beattained without being disturbed by incidence of reflected light.

In particular, in view of particularly the second noted set, the normaloptical image can be imaged as described above with the telescopic unit7030 t in which the angle of view θt is narrower than the angle of viewθw. The telescopic unit 7030 t is another narrow angle unit than thenarrow angle unit 7030 n.

Incidentally, the narrow angle unit 7030 n and the telescopic unit 7030t according to the seventh embodiment are substantially identical to thenarrow angle unit 6030 n and the telescopic unit 6030 t of the sixthembodiment except for the configurations described above. Therefore,according to the seventh embodiment, the first to fourth noted setsenable to produce the same operational effects as those in the first tofourth noted sets according to the sixth embodiment except for theoperational effects related to the placement structure out of theimaging space 410.

Eighth Embodiment

As illustrated in FIGS. 22 to 24 , an eighth embodiment is amodification of the first embodiment. In the eighth embodiment, theplacement position of a narrow angle unit 8030 n and a telescopic unit8030 t as lens units 6030 is different from that in the sixthembodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 22 and 24 , the front end of the narrow angle unit8030 n on the side of the external environment 5 enters the lens window6211 n. In addition, the front end of the narrow angle unit 8030 n isout of the imaging space 410 and is inside behind the narrow angleexposure window 6431 n. In this way, the narrow angle exposure window6431 n exposes the narrow angle unit 8030 n to the imaging space 410. Inaddition, as shown in FIG. 24 , an angle of view θn of the narrow angleunit 8030 n, which is narrower than the angle of view θw of the wideangle unit 6030 w, are partially located inside the angle of view θwwithin the imaging space 410 when viewed in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 , the front end of the telescopic unit 8030t on the side of the external environment 5 enters the lens window 6211t. In addition, the front end of the telescopic unit 8030 t is out ofthe imaging space 410 and is inside behind the telescopic exposurewindow 6431 t. In this way, the telescopic exposure window 6431 texposes the telescopic unit 8030 t to the imaging space 410 on the frontside of the wide angle unit 6030 w on the external environment 5 sideand directly beside the narrow angle unit 8030 n. In addition, as shownin FIG. 24 , the angle of view θt of the telescopic unit 8030 t, whichis narrower than the angle of view θw of the wide angle unit 6030 w, ispartially located inside the angle of view θw within the imaging space410 when viewed in the vertical direction.

In the eighth embodiment described above, as in the sixth embodiment,the first to fourth noted sets are supposed as the noted sets in whichthe respective lens units 6030 overlap with each other when viewed inthe lateral direction. More specifically, the first noted set includesthe wide angle unit 6030 w and the narrow angle unit 8030 n whichoverlap with each other when viewed in the lateral direction. The secondnoted set includes the wide angle unit 6030 w and the telescopic unit8030 t which overlap with each other when viewed in the lateraldirection. The third noted set includes the narrow angle unit 8030 n andthe telescopic unit 8030 t which overlap with each other when viewed inthe lateral direction. The fourth noted set includes the wide angle unit6030 w, the narrow angle unit 8030 n, and telescopic unit 8030 t, whichoverlap with each other when viewed in the lateral direction.

The narrow angle unit 8030 n and the telescopic unit 8030 t according tothe eighth embodiment described above are substantially identical to thenarrow angle unit 6030 n and the telescopic unit 6030 t of the sixthembodiment except for the configurations described above. Therefore,according to the eighth embodiment, the first to fourth noted setsenable to produce the same operational effects as those in the first tofourth noted sets according to the sixth embodiment except for theoperational effects related to the entrance structure into the exposurewindows 6431 n and 6431 t.

Ninth Embodiment

As illustrated in FIGS. 25 to 32 , a ninth embodiment is a modificationof the sixth embodiment. In the ninth embodiment, in a hood 9040 shownin FIGS. 25 to 27 , a pair of side wall portions 9043 provided on bothsides of the imaging space 410 and a base wall portion 9041 provided ona lower side of the imaging space 410 are different in structure fromthose in the sixth embodiment and are structured in association with thecontrol functions of the vehicle 2.

In the ninth embodiment, the control functions of the vehicle 2according to a situation of the external environment 5 shown in FIGS. 28and 29 are installed in the control circuit 55 or in an external circuitsuch as an ECU connected to the external connector 542. In this example,one of the control functions is a collision restriction control of thevehicle 2 against a front obstacle 5 a (for example, a pedestrian, abicycle, another vehicle, or the like) which is an object in theexternal environment 5. The one of the control functions is a specificcontrol Cs of the vehicle 2. A specific example of the specific controlCs is an autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that automatically controlsa vehicle speed of the vehicle 2 when an emergency control condition, inwhich a time to collision (TTC) is close to several seconds or less, isestablished, thereby to forcedly decelerate the vehicle 2, or the like.In addition, one of the control functions is a driving control of thevehicle 2 in a traveling lane. The one of the control functions isanother control Ca of the vehicle 2 than the specific control Cs. Aspecific example of the other control Ca is a lane keeping assist (LKA)that automatically controls the position of the vehicle 2 in the widthdirection of the traveling lane to restrict a shift of the vehicle 2from a lane marking 5 b such as a lane line, a yellow lane line on aroad surface, or the like in the external environment 5.

As shown in FIGS. 27 to 30 , a horizontal angle of view range of theexternal environment 5, which is necessary for the specific control Csof the vehicle 2, falls within the imaging target range of the cameramodule 1 mounted on the front windshield 3. The horizontal angle of viewrange is defined by a first taper angle θ1 with the optical axis Aw ofthe wide angle unit 6030 w, which is a bisector, when viewed in thevertical direction (that is, in a horizontal plane view) of the vehicle2 on the horizontal plane. In this example, the first taper angle θ1 issmaller than a horizontal angle of view range of the angle of view θw ofthe wide angle unit 6030 w defined around the optical axis Aw. Forexample, the first taper angle θ1 is set to an angle of 100° or more.For example, the first taper angle θ1 is set to an angle at which thefront obstacle 5 a preceding the vehicle 2 by 13 m or more can be imagedwhen the TTC is equal or more than 2.4 seconds.

As shown in FIGS. 31 and 32 , a vertical angle of view range of theexternal environment 5, which is necessary for the specific control Csof the vehicle 2, falls within the imaging target range of the cameramodule 1 mounted on the front windshield 3. The vertical angle of viewrange is defined by a sum of a first depression angle ψd1 and a firstelevation angle ψe1 in the horizontal view (that is, side view) of thevehicle 2, which is on the horizontal plane. In this example, the sum ofthe first depression angle ψd1 and the first elevation angle ψe1 issmaller than the vertical angle of view range of the angle of view θw ofthe wide angle unit 6030 w. For example, the first depression angle ψd1is set to an angle of 6° or less or the like. For example, the firstdepression angle ψd1 is set to an angle at which the front obstacle 5 apreceding the vehicle 2 by 13 m or more can be imaged when the TTC isequal or more than 2.4 seconds.

As shown in FIG. 28 , an individual imaging range Us, which isspecialized for the specific control Cs, is determined according to thehorizontal angle of view range and the vertical angle of view range ofthe external environment 5, which are necessary for the specific controlCs. As shown in FIGS. 27, 28, 30, and 32 , a first lower light ray L1 issupposed as a light ray entering the wide angle unit 6030 w at the firsttaper angle θ1 and at the first depression angle ψd1 from both of rightand left ends Use of a lowermost portion of the individual imaging rangeUs. Under the above supposition, points, at which the first lower lightrays L1, which are associated with the specific control Cs, imaginarilyintersect with the inner surface 3 a of the front windshield 3 of thevehicle 2, are defined as first imaginary intersections I1 as shown inFIGS. 27, 30, and 32 . As shown in FIG. 27 , each of the first imaginaryintersections I1 is associated with an upper side of an intermediateportion between the front end and the rear end of the side wall portion9043. In this way, each of the side wall portions 9043 is configured asfollows.

The respective side wall portions 9043 define inner wall surfaces 9043 aon the wide angle unit 6030 w side on the rear side of the firstimaginary intersections I1 in the vehicle 2. The inner wall surfaces9043 a have slight clearances from both right and left taper lines ofthe first taper angle θ1, respectively, on the outside. The right andleft taper lines of the first taper angle θ1 substantially overlap withthe first lower light rays L1, respectively. The respective side wallportions 9043 define the inner wall surfaces 9043 a on the externalenvironment 5 side of the first imaginary intersections I1 on the frontside in the vehicle 2. The inner wall surfaces 9043 a have slightclearances from both the right and left taper lines of the first taperangle θ1, respectively, on the outside. In this example, the inner wallsurfaces 9043 a of the side wall portion 9043 are continuous in asingular plane by setting those inclination angles with respect to theoptical axis Aw of the wide angle unit 6030 w to be substantially equalto each other. In this way, in the vehicle 2, the respective side wallportions 9043, extend from the periphery of the wide angle unit 6030 wto the first imaginary intersections I1 and further extend from thefirst imaginary intersections I1 toward the external environment 5 side.In addition, the respective side wall portions 9043 are in a state wherethe inner wall surfaces 9043 a are inclined along the taper lines at thefirst taper angle θ1 and are outside the first taper angle θ1, whichcorresponds to the angle of view θw of the wide angle unit 6030 w, whenviewed in the vertical direction. In the inclined state, the respectiveside wall portions 9043 enter the inside of the angle of view θw whenviewed in the vertical direction.

The respective side wall portions 9043 function as the first side wallportion 6432 and the second side wall portion 6433 in which the exposurewindows 6431 n and 6431 t open, respectively. In this example, theexposure windows 6431 n and 6431 t according to the ninth embodiment areopened in inclined portions of the side wall portions 9043,respectively, on the wide angle unit 6030 w side of the first imaginaryintersections I1. That is, the exposure windows 6431 n and 6431 t areopened on the first side wall portion 6432 and the second side wallportion 6433, respectively.

To the contrary, as shown in FIGS. 27 to 30 , the horizontal angle ofview range required for the other control Ca of the vehicle 2 fallswithin the imaging range of the external environment 5. The horizontalangle of view range is defined by a second taper angle θ2 with theoptical axis Aw of the wide angle unit 6030 w, which is a bisector, whenviewed in the vertical direction of the vehicle 2, which is on thehorizontal plane. In this example, the second taper angle θ2 is furthersmaller than the first taper angle θ1 which is smaller than thehorizontal angle of view range of the angle of view θw of the wide angleunit 6030 w. For example, the second taper angle θ2 is set to an angleof 50° or more and less than 100°. For example, the second taper angleθ2 is set to an angle at which the lane marking 5 b on a road surfacepreceding the vehicle 2 by 8.5 m or more can be imaged.

As shown in FIGS. 31 and 32 , the vertical angle of view range requiredfor the other control Ca of the vehicle 2 falls within the imagingtarget range of the external environment 5. The vertical angle of viewrange is defined by a sum of a second depression angle ψd2 and a secondelevation angle ψe2 in the horizontal view of the vehicle 2 on thehorizontal plane. In this example, the sum of the second depressionangle ψd2 and the second elevation angle ψe2 is smaller than thevertical angle of view range of the angle of view θw of the wide angleunit 6030 w. For example, the second depression angle ψd2 is set to anangle of 6° or more and 12° or less. For example, the second depressionangle ψd2 is set to an angle at which the lane marking 5 b on the roadsurface preceding the vehicle 2 by 8.5 m or more can be imaged. Thesecond depression angle ψd2 is larger than the first depression angleψd1.

As shown in FIG. 28 , an individual imaging range Ua specialized for theother control Ca is determined according to the horizontal angle of viewrange and the vertical angle of view range of the external environment5, which are necessary for the other control Ca. As shown in FIGS. 28,29, 30, and 32 , second lower light rays L2 are supposed as light rays,which enter the wide angle unit 6030 w at the second taper angle θ2 andat the second depression angle ψd2 from both of right and left ends Uaeof a lowermost portion of the individual imaging range Ua. Under theabove supposition, points at which the second lower light rays L2, whichare associated with the other control Ca, imaginarily intersect with theinner surface 3 a of the front windshield 3 of the vehicle 2, aredefined as second imaginary intersections I2 as shown in FIGS. 27, 30,and 32 . As shown in FIG. 27 , the second imaginary intersections I2 areassociated with an upper portion of the front end of the base wallportion 9041 thereby to produce the following configuration of the basewall portion 9041 and the side wall portions 9043.

In the vehicle 2, on the wide angle unit 6030 w side, that is, on therear side behind the second imaginary intersections I2, the base wallportion 9041 forms a bottom wall surface 9041 a. The base wall portion9041 forms the bottom wall surface 9041 a in an entire inside area andin predetermined outside areas. The entire inside area and one of thepredetermined outside areas interpose corresponding one of the right andleft taper lines of the second taper angle θ2 therebetween. The rightand left taper lines of the second taper angle θ2 substantially overlapwith the respective second lower light rays L2. In this way, the basewall portion 9041 extends from the periphery of the wide angle unit 6030w toward the second imaginary intersections I2 and extends inside andoutside of the second imaginary intersections I2 in the vehicle 2. Inthe base wall portion 9041, the bottom wall surface 9041 a extends tothe slight outside portions of the taper lines of the first taper angleθ1 in the outside portions of the second imaginary intersections I2. Inaddition, the inner wall surfaces 9043 a of the respective side wallportions 9043, extend to the slight outside portions of the taper linesof the first taper angle θ1 in the outside portions of the secondimaginary intersections I2, respectively. With the configuration, thebase wall portion 9041 and the respective side wall portions 9043 areformed to extend laterally outward beyond the second imaginaryintersections I2.

The hood 9040 according to the ninth embodiment is substantiallyidentical to the hood 6040 of the first embodiment except for theconfiguration. According to the hood 9040 of the ninth embodiment, inthe vehicle 2, the side wall portions 9043 spread from the periphery ofthe wide angle unit 6030 w toward the imaginary intersections I1.According to the configuration, even in a case where the hood 9040 isformed small, incidence of the lower light rays L1, which intersect withthe front windshield 3 at the imaginary intersections L1 at the taperangle θ1, are unlikely blocked by the side wall portion 9043. The taperangle θ1 defines the horizontal angle of view range in the imagingtarget range; the horizontal angle of view range is smaller than theangle of view θw of the wide angle unit 6030 w. Therefore, theconfiguration enables to reduce the size of the camera module 1including the hood 9040 that secures the taper angle θ1 capable ofcapturing the normal optical image.

According to the hood 9040 of the ninth embodiment, the side wallportions 9043 of the vehicle 2 spread along the taper angle θ1 outsidethe taper angle θ1 on the wide angle unit 6030 w side of the imaginaryintersections I1. According to the configuration, the hood 9040 securingthe taper angle θ1 can be formed in a limited size. The configurationenables to promote size reduction of the camera module 1 including thehood 9040 which secures the taper angle θ1 capable of imaging the normaloptical image.

According to the hood 9040 of the ninth embodiment, in the vehicle 2,the side wall portions 9043 spread along the taper angle θ1 to theoutside of the taper angle θ1 on the side unlikely to affect the taperangle θ1. The taper angle θ1 is secured by the side wall portions 9043spreading from the wide angle unit 6030 w toward the imaginaryintersections I1, that is, on the external environment 5 side beyond theimaginary intersections I1. The side wall portions 9043 are raised onthe base wall portion 9041 in a wide region on the external environment5 side beyond the imaginary intersections I1. The side wall portions9043 and the base wall portion 9041 are enabled in cooperation to blocklight before the light is reflected on the front windshield 3 and torestrict the light from entering the inside of the taper angle θ1 ifreflected on the front windshield 3. Therefore, the configurationenables to enhance the effect to restrict reflected light on the frontwindshield 3 from being superimposed on the normal optical light andfrom interfering with the imaging, without largely impairing sizereduction of the camera module 1, which includes the hood 9040 to securethe taper angle θ1 and is capable of imaging the normal optical image.

In addition, according to the hood 9040 of the ninth embodiment, asdescribed above, the side wall portions 9043 hardly block incidence ofthe lower light rays L1, which intersect with the front windshield 3 atthe imaginary intersections I1 at the taper angle θ1 within the imagingtarget range. The taper angle θ1 is necessary for the specific controlCs of the vehicle 2. Therefore, the configuration enables to reduce thesize of the camera module 1 including the hood 9040, which is capable ofimaging the normal optical image within the taper angle θ1 necessary forthe specific control Cs.

According to the hood 9040 of the ninth embodiment, in the vehicle 2,the side wall portions 9043 spread from the periphery of the wide angleunit 6030 w toward the first imaginary intersections I1. The firstimaginary intersections I1 are the imaginary intersections I1. Accordingto the configuration, even in a case where the hood 9040 is formedsmall, the side wall portions 9043 hardly block incidence of the firstlower light rays L1, which intersect with the front windshield 3 at thefirst imaginary intersections I1 at the first depression angle ψd1 andat the taper angle θ1. Moreover, in the vehicle 2, the base wall portion9041 spreads from the periphery of the wide angle unit 6030 w toward thesecond imaginary intersections I2. According to the configuration, thebase wall portion 9041 and the side wall portions 9043 hardly blockincidence of the second lower light rays L2, which intersect with thefront windshield 3 at the second imaginary intersections I2 at thesecond taper angle θ2 and at the second depression angle ψd2. The secondtaper angle θ2 is smaller than the first taper angle θ1. The seconddepression angle ψd2 is larger than the first depression angle ψd1. Fromthe above viewpoints, the configuration enables to reduce the size ofthe camera module 1 including the hood 9040. The hood 9040 is capable ofnot only capturing the normal optical image within the first taper angleθ1, which is necessary for the specific control Cs of the vehicle 2, butalso capturing the normal optical image within the second taper angle θ2which is necessary for the other control Ca of the vehicle 2.

Further, according to the hood 9040 of the ninth embodiment, in thevehicle 2, the side wall portions 9043 and the base wall portion 9041spread toward the second imaginary intersections I2 on the side wherethe side wall portions 9043 and the base wall portion 9041 unlikelyaffect the first taper angle θ1. The first taper angle θ1 is secured bythe side wall portions 9043 and the base wall portion 9041 spreadingfrom the wide angle unit 6030 w toward the first imaginary intersectionsI1, that is, on the external environment 5 side beyond the firstimaginary intersections I1. The side wall portions 9043 and the basewall portion 9041 are in cooperation enabled to block light before beingreflected on the front windshield 3 and to restrict the light fromentering the inside of the first taper angle θ1 and from entering theinside of the second taper angle θ2 if reflected on the front windshield3. Therefore, the configuration enables to capture the normal opticalimage within the first taper angle θ1, which is necessary for thespecific control Cs, and to capture the normal optical image within thesecond taper angle θ2 which is necessary for the other control Ca.

According to the ninth embodiment, in the collision restriction controlof the vehicle 2 against the front obstacle 5 a as the specific controlCs, the relatively large first taper angle θ1 can be ensured and thedesired collision restriction function can be attained. On the otherhand, in the driving control of the vehicle 2 in the traveling lane,which is the other control Ca than the specific control Cs, theconfiguration enables to ensure the relatively large second depressionangle ψd2 of the second lower light ray L2 which is incident at thesecond taper angle θ2. In this case, the second taper angle θ2 may berelatively small. The configuration enables to exhibit a desired drivingcontrol function.

Incidentally, in the ninth embodiment including the narrow angle unit6030 n and the telescopic unit 6030 t together with the wide angle unit6030 w described above, the same operational effects as those of thefirst to fourth noted sets of the sixth embodiment can be produced.

Tenth Embodiment

As shown in FIG. 33 , a tenth embodiment is a modification of the firstembodiment. In the tenth embodiment, a common positioning member 10060common to respective lens units 30 is added to the camera module 1.

The common positioning member 10060 is formed in a plate-like shape andis made of a rigid material such as metal or resin. The commonpositioning member 10060 is fixed to the upper casing member 21 of thecamera casing 20. The camera casing 20 accommodates respective lensunits 10030 and the imaging system 50 in the accommodation space 25 byusing a screw or adhesive or by press fitting. In this example, as inthe first embodiment, the camera casing 20 is mounted inside the frontwindshield 3 through the bracket assembly 10 so that the commonpositioning member 10060 is positioned in the vehicle 2.

The common positioning member 10060 has multiple (in the presentembodiment, three) insertion holes 10600 w, 10600 n, and 10600 tcorresponding to the respective lens units 10030, individually, in otherwords, the respective units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t, individually.The respective insertion holes 10600 w, 10600 n, and 10600 t penetratethrough the common positioning member 10060 in a cylindrical hole shapealigned with optical axes Aw, An, and At of the respective units 10030w, 10030 n, and 10030 t, respectively. In other words, the respectiveinsertion holes 10600 w, 10600 n, and 10600 t penetrate through thecommon positioning member 10060 in the axial direction. The axialdirection intersects with each of the lateral direction and the verticaldirection. Lens barrels 10032 w, 10032 n, and 10032 t of the respectiveunits 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t are formed in cylindrical shapeshaving outer diameters, respectively. The outer diameters complement thediameters of the respective insertion holes 10600 w, 10600 n, and 10600t, respectively.

The common positioning member 10060 has a reference surface portion10601 in which the respective insertion holes 10600 w, 10600 n, and10600 t are opened on its rear surface opposite to the externalenvironment 5. The reference surface portion 10601 is formed in a flatsurface shape and is located substantially perpendicular to the opticalaxes Aw, An, and At of the respective units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030t. The reference surface portion 10601 spreads along a singular plane ata position where the respective units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 toverlap with each other when viewed in the vertical direction. In thisexample, the lens barrels 10032 w, 10032 n, and 10032 t of therespective units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t are integrated withflanges 10038 w, 10038 n, and 10038 t in annular plate-like shapes,respectively, at locations that overlap with the reference surfaceportion 10601 in the axial direction. In the respective units 10030 w,10030 n, and 10030 t, the flanges 10038 w, 10038 n, and 10038 t haveabutment surface portions 10380 w, 10380 n, and 10380 t, respectively,on its front surfaces on the external environment 5 side. The abutmentsurface portions 10380 w, 10380 n, and 10380 t are in flat surfaceshapes and are substantially perpendicular to the respective opticalaxes Aw, An, and At.

In the configuration, the lens barrels 10032 w, 10032 n, and 10032 t ofthe respective units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t are coaxially fittedinto the insertion holes 10600 w, 10600 n, and 10600 t, respectively,correspondingly along the axes. In addition, the lens barrels 10032 w,10032 n, and 10032 t of the respective units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030t are in surface contact with the abutment surface portions 10380 w,10380 n, and 10380 t of the respective flanges 10038 w, 10038 n, and10038 t, respectively, on the common reference surface portion 10601 inthe axial direction. In this way, the respective units 10030 w, 10030 n,and 10030 t are positioned in the axial direction with respect to thecamera casing 20 on the same plane along the reference surface portion10601. In addition, the units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t are fittedinto the insertion holes 10600 w, 10600 n, and 10600 t, respectively, tobe positioned also in the lateral direction and in the verticaldirection.

The lens barrels 10032 w, 10032 n, and 10032 t of the respective units10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t are positioned in the manner describedabove and are fixed to the common positioning member 10060 with therespective flanges 10038 w, 10038 n, and 10038 t by using screws.Alternatively, the lens barrels 10032 w, 10032 n, and 10032 t of theunits 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t are fixed to the insertion holes10600 w, 10600 n, and 10600 t, respectively, by using adhesive or bypress fitting.

According to the tenth embodiment described above, in the vehicle 2, therespective lens units 10030 are accommodated in the camera casing 20,which is attached to the front windshield 3, to be positioned in theaxial direction by using the common positioning member 10060 which iscommon to those units. In other words, according to the firstembodiment, the units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t as the lens units10030, which belong to the first to fourth noted sets, are positioned inthe axial direction by using the common positioning member 10060 withrespect to the camera casing 20. In this way, the common positioningmember 10060 enables to reduce variation in a mutual axial positionalrelationship of the respective units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t inthe vehicle 2. In other words, the positioning accuracy of therespective units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t in the vehicle 2 can besecured. Further, the axial positions of the respective units 10030 w,10030 n, and 10030 t can be adjusted collectively by using the commonpositioning member 10060. Therefore, productivity can be enhanced.

According to the common positioning member 10060 of the tenthembodiment, the reference surface portion 10601 abuts against therespective units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t in the axial direction inthe vehicle 2, thereby to position all of the units. In particular, inthe tenth embodiment, all of the units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t arepositioned on the same plane by the abutment against the referencesurface portion 10601. According to the configuration, the respectiveunits 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t are enabled to be preciselypositioned on the same plane. Therefore, the configuration hardly causesvariation per se in the mutual axial positional relationship in thevehicle 2. In other words, the respective units 10030 w, 10030 n, and10030 t in the vehicle 2 can be positioned with high accuracy. Inaddition, the respective units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t can beeasily and collectively positioned in the axial direction by beingabutted against the reference surface portion 10601 on the same plane.Therefore, the configuration enables to promote high productivity.

Incidentally, the respective units 10030 w, 10030 n, and 3030 taccording to the tenth embodiment are substantially identical to theunits 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t of the first embodiment except for theconfigurations described above. Therefore, according to the tenthembodiment, the same operational effects as those of the first to fourthnoted sets in the first embodiment can be produced. In particular,according to the tenth embodiment, the depths of recognition field Dw,Dn, and Dt can be accurately set by positioning the respective units10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t in the axial direction. Therefore, theconfiguration enables to secure reliability of the effect to restrictloss of an object in the overlap regions Rnw and Rtn. In particular,according to the tenth embodiment, the respective units 10030 w, 10030n, and 10030 t are fitted into the insertion holes 10600 w, 10600 n, and10600 t, which penetrate through the common positioning member 10060 inthe axial direction, respectively, thereby being positioned in thelateral direction. Therefore, according to the tenth embodiment, theconfiguration enables to secure reliability of the effect of enhancingimage position accuracy in the lateral direction in the externalenvironment imaging.

Other Embodiments

The multiple embodiments have been described above. However, the presentdisclosure is not to be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments,and may be applied to various embodiments and combinations withoutdeparture from the spirit of the present disclosure. In the followingdescription, FIGS. 34, 45, and 46 represent representative examples ofmodifications relating to the second embodiment, and FIGS. 35 to 37, 40,48 and 49 represent representative examples of modifications relating tothe first embodiment, and FIGS. 38, 39, 43, and 44 representrepresentative examples of modifications relating to the thirdembodiment. In the following description, FIGS. 41 and 42 typicallyillustrate modifications of the ninth embodiment, and FIG. 47 typicallyillustrates a modification of the sixth embodiment.

Specifically, in Modification 1 related to the first to fifth and tenthembodiments, placement positions of at least two kinds of units of thewide angle units 30 w, 2030 w, 3030 w, 4030 w, 5030 w, and 10030 w, thenarrow angle units 30 n, 2030 n, 3030 n, and 10030 n and the telescopicunits 30 t, 2030 t, 3030 t, and 10030 t may be replaced with each other.In a specific example shown in FIG. 34 in this case, the placementpositions of the wide angle unit 2030 w and the telescopic unit 2030 tare replaced with each other in the second embodiment. In this example,due to focal lengths corresponding to the angles of view θw, θn, and θt(more specifically, combined focal points of the lenses 34 w, 34 n, 34 tand their subsequent lens sets), the distance between each of the frontend of the telescopic unit 2030 t and the front end of the narrow angleunit 2030 n and the corresponding imager unit 51 is longer than thedistance between the front end of the wide angle unit 2030 w and thecorresponding imager unit 51. Therefore, in the specific example shownin FIG. 34 , the telescopic unit 2030 t and the narrow angle unit 2030 nprotrude toward the deeper side further than the wide angle unit 2030 w,thereby being capable of reducing the size of the camera module 1 in thelongitudinal direction.

In Modification 2 of the first to tenth embodiments, the telescopicunits 30 t, 2030 t, 3030 t, 6030 t, 7030 t, 8030 t, and 10030 t may notbe provided. In this case, even in a case where the narrow angle lens 34n of the narrow angle units 30 n, 2030 n, 3030 n, 6030 n, 7030 n, 8030n, and 10030 n is replaced with the telescopic lens 34 t of thetelescopic units 30 t, 2030 t, 3030 t, 6030 t, 7030 t, 8030 t, and 10030t, the same operational effects as those of the first to tenthembodiments can be produced.

In Modification 3 relating to the first, second, fourth, fifth and tenthembodiments, the placement positions of the telescopic units 30 t, 2030t, and 10030 t may be other than the upper side of the narrow angleunits 30 n, 2030 n, and 10030 n. In a specific example shown in FIGS. 35to 37 in that case, the telescopic unit 30 t is located on one side ofat least one of the wide angle unit 30 w and the narrow angle unit 30 nin the lateral direction. In this way, the telescopic unit 30 t overlapswith at least one of the wide angle unit 30 w and the narrow angle unit30 n in the lateral direction.

In Modification 4 related to the third to fifth and tenth embodiments,according to the second embodiment, the wide angle units 3030 w, 4030 w,5030 w, and 10030 w may protrude toward the deeper side further than atleast one of the upper narrow angle units 3030 n, 10030 n and thetelescopic units 3030 t, 10030 t. In a specific example shown in FIGS.38 and 39 in that case, the wide angle unit 3030 w protrudes toward thedeeper side further than both of the narrow angle unit 3030 n and thetelescopic unit 3030 t.

In Modification 5 related to the first, third, fourth, fifth and tenthembodiments, the lens window 211 may be provided in each of the units 30w, 30 n, 30 t, 3030 w, 3030 n, 3030 t, 4030 w, 5030 w, 10030 w, 10030 n,and 10030 t, separately, according to the second embodiment. InModification 6 related to the second embodiment, the lens window 211 maybe provided in common to all of the units 2030 w, 2030 n, and 2030 taccording to the first embodiment.

In Modification 7 relating to the first, fourth, fifth and tenthembodiments, the optical axes Aw, An, and At of the respective units 30w, 30 n, 30 t, 4030 w, 5030 w, 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t shown inFIG. 40 are decentered from each other particularly in the lateraldirection so that those units may overlap with each other when viewed inthe lateral direction. In that case, the operational effects other thanthose related to image position accuracy in the lateral direction can beproduced in the same manner as that in the first embodiment. Inaddition, image position accuracy in the lateral direction can besecured by correcting the shift in the position coordinates.

In Modification 8 relating to the second, third and sixth to tenthembodiments, the depth of recognition field Dw of the wide angle units2030 w, 3030 w, 6030 w, and 10030 w may be set according to the fourthembodiment. In Modification 9 relating to the second, third and sixth totenth embodiments, the depth of recognition field Dw of the wide angleunits 2030 w, 3030 w, 6030 w, and 10030 w may be set according to thefifth embodiment.

In Modification 10 relating to the sixth to ninth embodiments, theplacement positions of the narrow angle units 6030 n, 7030 n, 8030 n andthe telescopic units 6030 t, 7030 t, and 8030 t may be replaced witheach other. In Modification 11 relating to the sixth to ninthembodiments, the front end of the wide angle unit 6030 w may enter theimaging space 410 from the inside of the lens window 6211 w and theinside of the wide angle exposure window 6431 w. In Modification 12relating to the sixth to ninth embodiments, the front end of the wideangle unit 6030 w may enter the inside of the lens window 6211 w in astate being out of the imaging space 410 and being out of the wide angleexposure window 6431 w.

In Modification 13 according to the sixth to ninth embodiments, at leasttwo of the optical axes Aw, An, and At of the respective units 6030 w,6030 n, 6030 t, 7030 n, 7030 t, 8030 n, and 8030 t may be decenteredfrom each other in both of the lateral direction and the verticaldirection, and shifted in the vertical direction. In Modification 14according to the ninth to the seventeenth embodiments, the specificcontrol Cs may be other than the collision restriction control of thevehicle 2. In Modification 15 according to the ninth embodiment, as longas the other control Ca is different from the specific control Cs, theother control Ca may be other than the driving control of the vehicle 2in a traveling lane. In Modification 16 according to the ninthembodiment, the other control Ca may not be executed. In that case, thesecond taper angle θ2 is not defined. Therefore, the second imaginaryintersection I2 may not be imaginarily defined. For example, the basewall portion 9041 may be formed along the second depression angle ψd2 asspecified.

In Modification 17 according to the first to tenth embodiments, at leastone side wall portions 43, 6043, and 9043 may be raised upright from thebase wall portions 41 and 9041 at an acute or obtuse angle. InModification 18 according to the first to tenth embodiments, the sidewall portion 43, 6043, and 9043 on at least one side may be formed in abent plate shape or in a curved plate shape. In a specific example shownin FIG. 41 in this case, the side wall portions 9043 are bent atpositions corresponding to the first imaginary intersections I1 to havebend portions 9043 b and straight portions 9043 c, respectively. In thisexample, the bend portions 9043 b are formed such that those inner wallsurfaces 9043 ab spread along the taper lines of the angle of view θ1 onthe outside of the first taper angle θ1 on the wide angle unit 6030 wside of the first imaginary intersections I1 as in the ninth embodiment.The first taper angle θ1 corresponds to the angle of view θw of the wideangle unit 6030 w. The exposure windows 6431 n and 6431 t are opened inthe bend portions 9043 b. On the other hand, the straight portion 9043 cis different from that in the ninth embodiment on the externalenvironment 5 side beyond the first imaginary intersections I1. Innerwall surfaces 9043 ac spread substantially in parallel to the opticalaxis Aw of the wide angle unit 6030 w inside the taper lines of thefirst taper angle θ1.

In Modification 19 relating to the ninth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 42, the exposure windows 6431 n and/or 6431 t open in at least one of thebend portions on the external environment 5 side of the first imaginaryintersection I1. The exposure windows 6431 n and/or 6431 t open on atleast one side wall portion 9043. FIG. 42 shows a specific example inwhich Modification 19 is applied to the side wall portions 9043 on bothsides.

In Modification 20 related to the third to fifth embodiments, the commonpositioning member 10060 and the flanges 10038 w, 10038 n, 10038 taccording to the tenth embodiment may be provided so that the respectiveunits 30 n, 30 t, 3030 w, 3030 n, 3030 t, 4030 w, and 5030 w overlapwith each other in at least one of the vertical direction and thelateral direction and are positioned on the same plane by using thereference surface portion 10601. In a specific example shown in FIGS. 43and 44 in that case, the respective units 3030 w, 3030 n, and 3030 t arepositioned on the same plane at the overlapping position in the verticaldirection or the lateral direction.

In Modification 21 related to the second and sixth to ninth embodiments,the common positioning member 10060 and the flanges 10038 w, 10038 n,10038 t according to the tenth embodiment may be provided so that therespective units 2030 w, 2030 n, 2030 t, 6030 w, 6030 n, 6030 t, 7030 n,7030 t, 8030 n, and 8030 t are positioned on the same plane by using thereference surface portion 10601 so far as those units overlap with eachother in at least one of the vertical direction and the lateraldirection. In a specific example shown in FIG. 45 in that case, therespective units 2030 w, 2030 n, and 2030 t are positioned on the sameplane at the overlapping positions in the vertical direction incombination with Modification 1 described above.

In Modification 22 related to the first to ninth embodiments, the commonpositioning member 10060 and the flanges 10038 w, 10038 n, 10038 tmodified from the tenth embodiment may be provided so that therespective units 30 w, 30 n, 30 t, 2030 w, 2030 n, 2030 t, 3030 w, 3030n, 3030 t, 4030 w, 5030 w, 6030 w, 6030 n, 6030 t, 7030 n, 7030 t, 8030n, and 8030 t are positioned on a reference surface portion on planesdifferent from each other. In a specific example shown in FIGS. 46 and47 in that case, the respective units 2030 w, 2030 n, 2030 t, 6030 w,6030 n, and 6030 t are individually positioned in the axial direction onthe planes different from each other by using reference surface portions10601 w, 10601 n, and 10601 t, which are divided, respectively.

In Modification 23 related to the first to ninth embodiments, the commonpositioning member 10060 modified from the tenth embodiment may beprovided so that the respective units 30 w, 30 n, 30 t, 2030 w, 2030 n,2030 t, 3030 w, 3030 n, 3030 t, 4030 w, 5030 w, 6030 w, 6030 n, 6030 t,7030 n, 7030 t, 8030 n, and 8030 t are fixed to the insertion holes10600 w, 10600 n, and 10600 t, respectively, by using screws and arepositioned. In a specific example shown in FIG. 48 in that case,positioning in the axial direction is attained by screwing therespective units 30 w, 30 n, and 30 t into the insertion holes 10600 w,10600 n, and 10600 t, respectively.

In Modification 24 according to the first to tenth embodiments, at leasta part of the functions of the control circuit 55 may be produced by anexternal circuit such as an ECU outside the camera casing 20. InModification 25 according to the first to tenth embodiments, at leastone through window 541 may not be formed on the control board 54. Inthat case, the FPC 540 inserted through the through window 541 isreplaced with an FPC 1540 which wraps around an outer peripheral side ofthe rear side edge 544 of the control board 54, as shown in FIG. 49 .FIG. 49 shows a specific example in which only the FPC 1540, which isconnected to the telescopic unit 30 t and the corresponding imager unit51, is wrapped around the outer peripheral side of the rear side edge544.

In Modification 26 according to the first to tenth embodiments, thebracket main body 11 may be adhesively fixed to the front windshield 3without providing the mounting pad 12. In Modification 27 according tothe first to tenth embodiments, the mounting pad 12 held with the cameracasing 20 may be adhesively fixed to the front windshield 3 withoutproviding the bracket main body 11.

In Modification 28 according to the first to tenth embodiments, the hood40, 6040, and 9040 may be formed separately from the bracket main body11. In Modification 29 related to the first to fifth and tenthembodiments, the hood 6040 modified from the sixth embodiment may bereplaced with the hood 40 to expose the units 30 w, 30 n, 30 t, 2030 w,2030 n, 2030 t, 3030 w, 3030 n, 3030 t, 4030 w, 5030 w, 10030 w, 10030n, and 10030 t not from the exposure windows 6431 w, 6431 n, and 6431 t,respectively, but from the portion between the rear ends of therespective side wall portions 6043. In Modification 30 related to thefirst to fifth and tenth embodiments, the hood 9040 modified from theninth embodiment may be replaced with the hood 40 to expose the units 30w, 30 n, 30 t, 2030 w, 2030 n, 2020 t, 3030 w, 3030 n, 3030 t, 4030 w,5030 w, 10030 w, 10030 n, and 10030 t not from the exposure windows 6431w, 6431 n, and 6431 t, respectively, but from the portion between therear ends of the respective side wall portions 9043.

In Modification 31 according to the seventh and eighth embodiments, thehood 6040 may be replaced with the hood 9040 of the ninth embodiment. InModification 32 according to the first to fifth and tenth embodiments,the hood 40 may not be provided. In Modification 33 according to thefirst to tenth embodiments, multiple convex ribs or multiple concavegrooves may be provided to extend along the lateral direction in thehoods 40, 6040, and 9040.

In Modification 34 according to the first to tenth embodiments,extension directions of at least two of the optical axes Aw, An and Atof the respective units 30 w, 30 n, 30 t, 2030 w, 2030 n, 2020 t, 3030w, 3030 n, 3030 t, 4030 w, 5030 w, 6030 w, 6030 n, 6030 t, 7030 n, 7030t, 8030 n, 8030 t, 10030 t, 10030 n, and 10030 t may be inclinedrelative to each other. In addition to the above, in Modification 35according to the first to tenth embodiments, the camera module 1 may bemounted inside a rear windshield of the vehicle 2, and in this case, acontext is reversed in the first to tenth embodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. A camera module configured to be mounted on aninside of a windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environmentof the vehicle, the camera module comprising: a plurality of lens unitshaving optical axes, respectively, wherein the optical axes are shiftedfrom each other, an optical image of the external environmentindividually enters within angles of view, which are around the opticalaxes, respectively, the angles of view are different from each other;and an imaging system to perform imaging individually through the lensunits and to generate an outside image of the external environment,wherein an other of the lens units is shifted relative to one of thelens units in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle along the opticalaxis, and the other of the lens units coincides with the one of the lensunits in a vertical direction of the vehicle, the angle of view of theother of the lens units is smaller than the angle of view of the one ofthe lens units, and the other of the lens units is located on anexternal environment side relative to the one of the lens units in thelongitudinal direction.
 2. The camera module according to claim 1,wherein the lens units further include a third lens unit, the one of thelens units is shifted relative to the other of the lens units and thethird lens unit in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and theone of the lens units coincides with the other of the lens units and thethird lens unit in the vertical direction of the vehicle.
 3. The cameramodule according to claim 2, wherein the other of the lens unitscoincides with the third lens unit in the longitudinal direction of thevehicle.
 4. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein the other ofthe lens units and the one of the lens units overlap with each otherwhen viewed in a lateral direction of the vehicle.
 5. The camera moduleaccording to claim 1, wherein the other of the lens units is locatedwithout substantial vertical shift from the one of the lens units. 6.The camera module according to claim 1, further comprising: a hooddefining an imaging space, which is to guide the optical image of theexternal environment within an imaging target range of the imagingsystem to the lens units, and to restrict incidence of light on the lensunits from an outside of the imaging target range, wherein the hoodincludes: a base wall portion to be located to face the windshield viathe imaging space; and a side wall portion raised from the base wallportion at a lateral side of the imaging space and inclined laterallyoutward correspondingly to an angle of view of one of the lens unitsfrom a periphery of the one of the lens units toward an externalenvironment side, and an exposure window opens in the side wall portionon the external environment side of the one of the lens units andexposes an other of the lens units to the imaging space.
 7. The cameramodule according to claim 6, wherein an end of the other of the lensunits on the external environment side is located outside the imagingspace.
 8. The camera module according to claim 7, wherein the end of theother of the lens units on the external environment side enters theexposure window.
 9. The camera module according to claim 6, wherein anend of the other of the lens units on the external environment sideenters the imaging space from an inside of the exposure window.
 10. Thecamera module according to claim 9, wherein the end of the other of thelens units on the external environment side includes a reflectionrestriction portion to restrict light reflection.
 11. The camera moduleaccording to claim 6, wherein the lens units further include a thirdlens unit, and a second exposure window opens in the side wall portionon the external environment side beyond the one of the lens units andexposes the third lens unit to the imaging space.
 12. The camera moduleaccording to claim 11, wherein the side wall portion includes a pair ofside wall portions on both of lateral sides of the imaging space, theexposure window opens in one of the side wall portions, and the secondexposure window opens in an other of the side wall portions.
 13. Thecamera module according to claim 6, wherein the side wall portion islocated to spread along an angle of view of the one of the lens units.14. The camera module according to claim 6, wherein the angle defines ahorizontal angle of view range, which is within the imaging target rangeand is required for a specific control of the vehicle.
 15. The cameramodule according to claim 1, wherein a camera casing attachable to thewindshield and accommodates each of the lens units; and a commonpositioning member commonly provided for the lens units and positioningeach of the lens units relative to the camera casing in an axialdirection.
 16. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein the otherof the lens units is shifted relative to the one of the lens units inboth the longitudinal direction and a lateral direction of the vehicle.17. The camera module according to claim 16, wherein the longitudinaldirection, the lateral direction, and the vertical direction areperpendicular to each other.
 18. The camera module according to claim 1,further comprising: a hood, as a singular member, defining an imagingspace, which is to guide the optical image of the external environmentwithin an imaging target range of the imaging system to the lens units,and to restrict incidence of light on the lens units from an outside ofthe imaging target range, wherein the one of the lens units and theother of the lens units are provided to the hood that is the singularmember.
 19. The camera module according to claim 1, further comprising:a control circuit configured to perform image processing on the outsideimage; and a control board in a plate-like shape and mounted with thecontrol circuit, wherein the control board extends in a direction, whichis along the longitudinal direction and a width direction of the vehicleon a lower side of the one of the lens units and the other of the lensunits.
 20. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein a length ofthe one of the lens units is different from a length of the other of thelens units.
 21. A camera module configured to be mounted on an inside ofa windshield of a vehicle and to image an external environment of thevehicle, the camera module comprising: a plurality of lens units havingoptical axes, respectively, wherein the optical axes are shifted fromeach other, an optical image of the external environment individuallyenters within angles of view, which are around the optical axes,respectively, the angles of view are different from each other; and animaging system to perform imaging individually through the lens unitsand to generate an outside image of the external environment, wherein another of the lens units is shifted relative to one of the lens units ina longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the other of the lens unitscoincides with the one of the lens units in a vertical direction of thevehicle, depths of recognition field of the lens units overlap with eachother, in which a far point of the other of the lens units is between anear point and a far point of the one of the lens units in the externalenvironment, and each of the far point of the one and the far point ofthe other defines a limit position of image recognition which isimplemented by imaging through corresponding one of the lens units. 22.A camera module configured to be mounted on an inside of a windshield ofa vehicle and to image an external environment of the vehicle, thecamera module comprising: a plurality of lens units having optical axes,respectively, wherein the optical axes are shifted from each other, anoptical image of the external environment individually enters withinangles of view, which are around the optical axes, respectively, theangles of view are different from each other; and an imaging system toperform imaging individually through the lens units and to generate anoutside image of the external environment, wherein an other of the lensunits is shifted relative to one of the lens units in a first directionalong the optical axis, and the other of the lens units coincides withthe one of the lens units in a second direction that is a verticaldirection perpendicular to the optical axis.
 23. The camera moduleaccording to claim 22, wherein the other of the lens units is shiftedrelative to the one of the lens units in both the first direction and athird direction that is perpendicular to both the first direction andthe second direction.